Marcos Baghdatis
Marseille, France (Sports Network) – Fourth-seeded Scotsman Andy Murray and sixth-seeded Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis were among Friday’s quarterfinal winners at the $1.125 million Open 13 indoor tennis event.
The world No. 11 Murray grounded France’s Nicolas Mahut 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) on the hardcourts at Palais des Sports. Murray’s semifinal opponent on Saturday will be another Frenchman, Paul-Henri Mathieu.
An eighth-seeded Mathieu ended the Marseille reign of his countryman Gilles Simon, who lost 6-3, 6-4 on Day 5 here. Simon had won his last seven matches at this event, including a title bout victory over Baghdatis a year ago.
Baghdatis moved within one victory of his second straight final here by upsetting third-seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny 7-6 (7-2), 6-3. The excitable Cypriot will tangle with capable Croat Mario Ancic on Saturday.
The wild card Ancic secured his first semifinal berth since 2006 by holding off Swede Robin Soderling 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2. Soderling reached the final at this event in 2004.
The 6-foot-5 Ancic, who battled injuries and illness last season, will appear in his first semi since titling in St. Petersburg, Russia in October of ’06. He’s playing in his first ATP event of 2008 this week.
The 2008 Marseille titlist will collect $125,000.
Source: Murray, Baghdatis move on at Open 13
