Andy Roddick overcame four double faults in the first set – and a smashed racket to show for it – to beat Juan Carlos Ferrero 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 yesterday and reach the semifinals of the China Open.
The second-seeded American, who tossed away another racket in anger in the second set, served 23 aces to beat the Spaniard.
Roddick will face unseeded German Bjorn Phau in the semifinals, with Dudi Sela of Israel playing Rainer Schuettler of Germany in the other.
Roddick fell behind early as Ferrero found a weak spot.
"He had a little bit of a different strategy than he normally does," Roddick said. "He came in and attacked my forehand."
Roddick grew so frustrated that he slammed his racket into the court after one missed shot, breaking the head in half.
"That racket didn't want to be here anymore – I had to let it out," Roddick said.
In women's quarterfinal play, No. 2-seeded Ana Ivanovic was ousted by home favorite Zheng Jie 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-4. A semifinalist at Wimbledon, Zheng overcame the French Open champion and former No. 1-ranked Serb, whose serves and ground strokes were erratic.
In the three other quarterfinals, No. 1 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia beat Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 7-5, 6-1; No. 4 Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia defeated Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-4 and Russian No. 5 Vera Zvonareva beat Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 6-0, 6-1.
In the semifinals, Zheng plays Kuznetsova and Zvonareva faces Jankovic.
Wimbledon semifinalist Zheng had noisy support from home fans at the Beijing Tennis Center. She is the only Chinese woman still playing in the tournament after four others lost in the first round. She also beat Ivanovic en route to the Wimbledon semifinals.
In the men's quarterfinals, Sela of Israel upset No. 6 Tommy Robredo of Spain 6-4, 6-1 to reach his first semifinal in a major ATP event. Sela was boosted by two wins over the weekend in a Davis Cup tie against Peru.
Sela trailed early against Robredo, but turned things around by attacking and hitting to the Spaniard's backhand.
Two other seeded players also lost yesterday. No. 7 Schuettler ousted No. 4 Richard Gasquet 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Phau defeated No. 3 seed and defending champion Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.