Top-seeded
Nikolay Davydenko, No. 7
Luis Horna and unseeded
Jiri Novak all won two matches Thursday on the rain-backed-up schedule at the ATP claycourt stop in Poertschach to gain the semifinals.
Davydenko defeated Spanish qualifier Raul Ramirez Hidalgo in the second round then the Italian
Potito Starace, dropping just nine games in the two matches, while Horna beat Italian
Andreas Seppi 1-and-1 then Argentine qualifier
Juan Monaco in straight sets. Novak ousted No. 5
Juan Ignacio Chela and
Jurgen Melzer, both in three sets.
Unseeded
Andrei Pavel was the fourth semifinalist, defeating Austrian
Oliver Marach in straight sets.
Before falling in the quarters, Monaco beat Luxembourg's
Gilles Muller 2-and-0, Starace ousted No. 6 seed
Nicolas Almagro 6-1 in the third, and Melzer advanced past
Richard Gasquet when the Frenchman retired with a right elbow injury.
Friday's semifinal match-ups are (1) Davydenko vs. Novak, and (7) Horna vs. Pavel.
