Blake wins in straight sets
OEIRAS, Portugal -- James Blake advanced to the quarterfinals of the Estoril Open with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 win Thursday over Frenchman Marc Gicquel.
Need the scores from any match played in today's tournaments? The fourth-seeded American had five aces and looked more assured than in the opening-round match at the outdoor clay-court event, when he rallied from a set down to beat Frederico Gil.
After a tight first-set tiebreaker, Blake showed more authority in the second, breaking Gicquel in the fifth and seventh games.
Also, seventh-seeded Albert Montanes defeated Simon Greul 6-2, 6-2.
In the women's event, sixth-seeded Ekaterina Makarova will be the highest seed in the semifinals after rallying to stop second-seeded Maria Kirilenko 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.
She will take on Anna-Lena Groenefeld, who advanced after fourth-seeded Sabrine Lisicki retired with a shoulder injury after losing the first set 6-2.
The other semifinal will pit Shahar Peer of Israel against Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium. Peer ousted Jarmila Groth 6-2, 0-6, 6-3, and Wickmayer upset third-seeded Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
