Date:19/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/19/stories/2008041961171900.htm

Sport - Tennis

Federer in semifinals

ESTORIL (Portugal): Roger Federer battled changing weather, which went from sun to rain and back, before beating Portugal’s Frederico Gil 6-4, 6-1 to reach the Estoril Open tennis semifinals on Friday.

A quarterfinal twice interrupted by the unpredictable conditions sent the players off court for 35 minutes in the first set and another 25 in the third game of the second.

Important results: At Estoril (ATP & WTA Estoril Open): Men: Singles: Quarterfinals: Florent Serra bt Flavio Cipolla 6-1, 6-1; Roger Federer bt Frederico Gil 6-4, 6-1. Second round: Frederico Gil bt Joao Sousa 7-6(5), 6-2.

Women: Singles: Quarterfinals: Maret Ani bt Olga Savchuk 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4; Klara Zakopalova bt Karin Knapp 3-6, 6-4, 6-4; Iveta Benesova bt Camille Pin 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; Maria Kirilenko bt Tathiana Garbin 6-0, 6-1.

At Valencia (ATP Valencia Open): Men: Singles: Quarterfinals: David Ferrer bt Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 1-6, 7-5; Nicolas Almagro bt Juan Monaco 6-3, 6-2; Tommy Robredo bt Potito Starace 6-3, 3-0 (retired).

At Houston (ATP US claycourt championships): Second round: James Blake bt Ryan Harrison 6-3, 6-2; Agustin Calleri bt Paul Capdeville 6-2, 6-1; Sergio Roitman bt Igor Kunitsyn 6-3, 7-6(3); Marcos Daniel bt Nicolas Massu 7-6(3) 6-2; Marcel Granollers bt Peter Luczak 6-3, 6-2; Wayne Odesnik bt Dudi Sela 6-3, 7-5.

At Charleston (WTA Family Circle Cup): T hird round: Patty Schnyder bt Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3, 6-2; Maria Sharapova bt Tatiana Perebiynis 7-5, 6-2; Elena Dementieva bt Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 7-5; Serena Williams bt Katarina Srebotnik 4-6, 6-4, 6-3; Jelena Jankovic bt Anastasia Rodionova 6-0, 6-2; Alize Cornet bt Sorana Cirstea 6-1, 7-5; Vera Zvonareva bt Marion Bartoli 6-4, 4-6, 6-1; Agnes Szavay bt Dinara Safina 6-2, 7-5. — Agencies