Doha, Qatar (Sports Network) - Top seed David Ferrer and world No. 10
Richard Gasquet secured semifinal berths at the season-opening Qatar Open,
a $1.05 million Australian Open tune-up.
The world No. 5 Spanish Ferrer, who led the ATP with seven titles and 76
match wins last year, flattened Italian Paolo Lorenzi 6-3, 6-0 in 62 minutes,
while the second-seeded Frenchman Gasquet easily grounded Slovak Lukas Lacko
6-1, 6-3 on the hardcourts at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex.
Meanwhile, German qualifier Daniel Brands knocked out two-time Doha runner-up
Gael Monfils 6-1, 7-5. Monfils gave way to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in last year's
all-French Qatar Open finale.
Brands will be opposed by the surging Gasquet on Friday.
The Sports Network