SAN JOSE, California — Top seeds Andy Roddick and Fernando Verdasco advanced into the semifinals of the SAP Open Friday with straight-set victories.
America’s Roddick, seeded No. 1 and seeking the fourth San Jose title of his career, defeated No. 5-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5). Second-seeded Verdasco defeated Lithuanian qualifier Ricardas Berankis 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).
Roddick and Berdych combined to hit 34 aces – 16 for Roddick and 18 for Berdych..
“He forced me to play well,” Roddick said. “I made no bones about the fact that I would have to work my way into this event. You don’t always have to feel comfortable to win a tennis match.”
He next faces seventh-seeded compatriot Sam Querrey, a 6-4, 6-3 winner over Michael Russell.
Berankis, ranked No. 225 denied Verdasco a break chance in the second set.
But the 19-year-old, who was the first Lithuanian-born player to reach the ATP Tour quarterfinals, couldn’t hold off Verdasco in the tiebreaker.
The Spaniard said his sore right hamstring was improving.
“I’ve been getting treatment for it and that’s all I can do,” Verdasco said. “Since the first moment I played here it’s feeling pretty good and even more so now.”
Verdasco will have the advantage in experience over his semifinal opponent as well, when he takes on unseeded Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan.
Istomin, who had beaten fourth-seeded German Tommy Haas in the second round, downed sixth-seeded German Philipp Kohlshreiber 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 to reach the first semifinal of his career.
“I’m so happy – the first time in my career I play a semi-final,” he said. “Today I played so well – I think it’s the best match I played of my life.”