Roddick reaches quarters

Top-seeded Andy Roddick advanced to the quarterfinals of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis. Roddick defeated fellow American Mardy  Fish 6-4, 6-2 in the second round, and will now face eighth-seeded Robin Soderling. The Swede Soderling breezed past Victor Hanescu 6-2, 6-1 in the second round. This will be the first career meeting between Roddick and Soderling.

Joining Roddick in the quarters is fellow American Donald Young. The youngster beat Alejandro Falls 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 in the second round to advance. He will face Jonas Bjorkman, who beat fifth-seeded Sam Querrey 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(4) in the second round. This will be the first meeting between the 18-year old Young and 35-year old Bjorkman.

Davenport bullies through to semifinals

The women are in Memphis too at the Cellular South Cup and it appears Lindsay Davenport is a woman on a mission. After winning her opening round match 7-5, 6-3 Davenport has only lost a total of four games in her next two matches. She beat sixth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki 6-0, 6-2 yesterday to advance. Next up for Davenport will be a qualifier from New Zealand Marina Erakovic. This will be the first time these two have played.
In the other semifinal match, third-seeded Shahar Peer will face fifth-seeded Olga Govortsova. Peer defeated seventh-seeded Sofia Arvidsson 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 to reach the semis, and in doing so she won her 200th career singles match. Govortsova beat German wild card Julia Goerges 7-6(5), 6-2 and is 1-2 in her career against Peer.

Henin loses in Dubai

Two-time defending champion and top-seeded Justine Henin lost her quarterfinal match to Francesca Schiavone 7-6(3), 7-6(4). Henin has played in Dubai four times previously (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007) and won the tournament each time. This was the first time Schiavone has beaten Henin in eight tries. She will now face eighth-seeded Elena Dementieva in the semifinals. Dementieva pulled an upset of her own, beating third-seeded Ana Ivanovic 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 and she is now 3-0 against her in her career.

On the bottom half of the draw, second-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova moved past Amelie Mauresmo 6-1, 7-6(4) and will take on fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic in the semis. Jankovic won the first set 6-1 against sixth-seeded Anna Chakvetadze and then Chakvetadze was forced to retire with a left thigh injury.

Nalbandian reaches semis

Top-seeded David Nalbandian is looking for his second title in as many weeks at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco. Nalbandian defeated eight-seeded Potitio Starace 6-3, 6-3 and will take on Luis Horna next. Horna took down Agustin Calleri 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 and is 1-0 against Nalbandian in his career.

In the other semifinal, sixth-seeded Nicolas Almagro will play Jose Acasuso. Almagro defeated Nicolas Massu 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 while Acasuso moved past Marcel Granollers-Pujol 7-6(2), 6-3. Almagro is 5-2 against Acasuso in his career, including a victory over him earlier this year in Auckland. 

Ljubicic, Ancic to meet in Zagreb

Top-seeded Ivan Ljubicic beat Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3 and will now face Mario Ancic in the semifinals. Ancic moved by Robin Haase 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 and is 1-3 against Ljubicic in his career (although the two haven’t played since 2006). Ancic is looking to get to his second final this month, after losing to Andy Murray in Marseille earlier.

The other semifinal match will feature Italian Simone Bolelli and Ukrainian lucky-loser Sergiy Stakhovsky. Bolelli defeated Olivier Rochus 7-6(5), 6-4 and Stakhovsky upset eighth-seeded Janko Tipsarevic 3-6, 6-4, 6-2. Stakhovsky became the first lucky loser to reach a semifinal since Navarro Pastor in Valencia last year. If he wins this match he will be the first lucky loser to reach a final since Nicklas Kulti in 1999, and if he wins he will be the first to win a title since Christian Miniussi at Sao Paolo in 1991.