Estoril Open 2007 News and Events

ATP World No. 5 Novak Djokovic set up a stellar semifinal meeting with No. 7-ranked Tommy Robredo at the Estoril Open on Friday.

Third-seeded Djokovic recorded his second career win over Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez with a hard-fought 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 victory in two hours and 43 minutes.

While No. 2 seed Robredo edged past Agustin Calleri of Argentina 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-2 in the pair’s seventh career meeting. Robredo squandered a one set and 5-3 lead before recovering to win in two hours and 30 minutes.

Djokovic holds a 2-1-career lead over Robredo, who has not beaten the Serbian since the pair’s first meeting at ATP Masters Series Paris in November 2005. Head-to-Head

The 19-year-old Djokovic has won two ATP titles this year at Adelaide (d. Guccione) and ATP Masters Series Miami (d. Canas). He leads the ATP circuit for match wins with a 29-6 record.

Robredo reached the Auckland final (l. to Ferrer) in January and has a 19-9 record in 2007.

In the other semifinal, No. 5 seed Richard Gasquet will challenge French compatriot Paul-Henri Mathieu in the Estoril Open.

Gasquet holds a 2-0-career lead over Mathieu, which includes a three-set win in the Sydney quarterfinals at the start of this year. Head-to-Head

Mathieu however, is riding an eight-match winning streak, having clinched his third career ATP title in Casablanca, Morocco, last week (d. Montanes).

World No. 15 Gasquet booked his place in his second ATP semifinal of the season when he beat 32-year-old American Vince Spadea 6-3, 6-4 in 82 minutes on Friday.

The 20-year-old Gasquet last won an ATP title in Lyon, France, in October 2006.

He improves to 21-8 this year, which includes one semifinal appearance in Sydney (l. to Moya) and three quarterfinal exits at Adelaide (l. to Guccione), Marseille (l. to Soderling) and ATP Masters Series Monte Carlo (l. to Ferrero).

Gasquet recorded his 100th career win at ATP-level when he beat Max Mirnyi of Belarus on Tuesday.

Spadea, who was appearing in his fifth quarterfinal or better this year, has a 15-12-match record in 2007.

Mathieu, currently No. 42 in the ATP Rankings – ten places below his career-high, defeated Juan Monaco of Argentina 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 in two hours and 13 minutes.

Despite winning 37 of 81 points on return of serve, Mathieu was able to break six times from eight opportunities.

The 25-year-old Mathieu improves upon his 2005 performance in Estoril, when he lost in the quarterfinals to Carlos Moya. Mathieu has an 18-8 season record.

WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID

Djokovic: "You've got to look on the positive side, its always good to win a really difficult match. Today's match there was a lot of tension, a lot of good points but on the other hand a lot of unforced errors."

On his semifinal against Robredo: "I have a very difficult match against Tommy Robredo, his number 6 orNO 7 in the world, its going to be an interesting semifinal, I hope I'll manage to recover as much as I can.

"You know he played some tough matches as well this tournament that's for sure, we are both tired, the conditions are really heavy in this tournament, there is a lot of wind, rain, sun, you cannot predict really the weather and mentally its really difficult to hold on and stay focused."

Gasquet: “It was difficult for me, because I didn’t know his game, it was not easy. I’m happy to win this match - it’s a great match for me.

“I’m really happy, it’s a great tournament for me, because I am in the semifinals, there are a lot of good players here. The court is great, but there is a little bit of wind, which is never easy.”

Mathieu: “I played a lot of matches, my legs were hurting a bit today, so I was happy to have won this match.”

On his semifinal with Gasquet: “For sure it’s not the best way to enter a match against him, its going to be very tough, hopefully I will feel a bit better tomorrow, but for sure if I want to win I need to be 100 percent.

“I played good last week, so I had some confidence, and today I played the right shots at the right time, so I think that made the difference.”

ESTORIL OPEN RE-CAP
Thursday: Robredo Fights Back to Sink Martin
Wednesday: Djokovic into QFs; Davydenko Falls in Opener
Tuesday: Mathieu Continues Hot Streak
Monday: Djokovic Edges Andreev in Epic Battle
Sunday: Querrey, Kunitsyn Win into Second Round