Defending champion Andy Murray battled back from a set down against unseeded Radek Stepanek to reach the Shanghai Masters semifinals on Friday, keeping alive his unbeaten record at the tournament.
Novak Djokovic also advanced, beating unseeded Tommy Haas of Germany 6-3, 6-3.
Federer beat Croatia’s Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 22 minutes in the last singles quarterfinal of the day. The other semifinal will pit the Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych against second seed Novak Djokovic.
US Open champion Murray, 25, who won the 2010 and 2011 titles in the Chinese city, will meet Roger Federer in the semis. He was staring defeat in the face when a set down and searching in vain for inspiration against the Czech, ranked 41, but recovered to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
A single break was enough for 33-year-old Stepanek to win the first set as he troubled the third seed with frequent successful forays to the net.
A rattled Murray, muttering to himself in frustration, finally made the breakthrough in the sixth game of the second set, breaking again to level the match.
Just when it appeared the tide had turned, Stepanek again broke the Scot early in the decider but Murray hit back immediately, repeating the feat to set up a semi-final clash with either Roger Federer or Marin Cilic of Croatia.
Earlier, Tomas Berdych came out on top against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a battle between two of the contenders to reach next month’s ATP World Tour Finals.
The Czech fourth seed won 6-3, 7-6 [7/4], grabbing a crucial break against the powerful Frenchman in the eighth game of the first set and edging the second set tie-break to set up a semi-final against Novak Djokovic or Tommy Haas.
‘I think it was a really solid game and solid performance from beginning until the end. Yeah, I was feeling quite well on court,’ said Berdych, who next month is set to be part of the Czech team playing Spain in the Davis Cup final.
With four berths still up for grabs at the elite eight-man showpiece in the UK’s capital, Berdych, 27, is sixth in the Race to London.
World number one Federer, Djokovic and Murray have already qualified for London, along with the injured Rafael Nadal.
Federer’s win on Thursday over Davis Cup team-mate Stanislas Wawrinka guaranteed him a record 300th week as world number one when the next rankings are published on Monday.
HESH-BOPANNA, PAES-STEPANEK IN SEMIS
In doubles, the Indian pair of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna reached their fifth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semifinals of the season.
The seventh seeds saved all five break points they faced to defeat second seeds Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor 7-6[7], 6-4 in one hour and 24 minutes.
Currently ranked No.8 in the ATP Doubles Team Rankings, they will next play No.11-ranked Britons Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins in the semis.
Meanwhile Radek Stepanek-Leander Paes also booked their place in the semi finals of the Shanghai Masters. The Indo-Czech pair defeated Jurgen Melzer-Milas Raonic 7-5, 6-7, 10-5 to advance.
Novak Djokovic also advanced, beating unseeded Tommy Haas of Germany 6-3, 6-3.
Federer beat Croatia’s Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 22 minutes in the last singles quarterfinal of the day. The other semifinal will pit the Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych against second seed Novak Djokovic.
US Open champion Murray, 25, who won the 2010 and 2011 titles in the Chinese city, will meet Roger Federer in the semis. He was staring defeat in the face when a set down and searching in vain for inspiration against the Czech, ranked 41, but recovered to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
A single break was enough for 33-year-old Stepanek to win the first set as he troubled the third seed with frequent successful forays to the net.
A rattled Murray, muttering to himself in frustration, finally made the breakthrough in the sixth game of the second set, breaking again to level the match.
Just when it appeared the tide had turned, Stepanek again broke the Scot early in the decider but Murray hit back immediately, repeating the feat to set up a semi-final clash with either Roger Federer or Marin Cilic of Croatia.
Earlier, Tomas Berdych came out on top against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a battle between two of the contenders to reach next month’s ATP World Tour Finals.
The Czech fourth seed won 6-3, 7-6 [7/4], grabbing a crucial break against the powerful Frenchman in the eighth game of the first set and edging the second set tie-break to set up a semi-final against Novak Djokovic or Tommy Haas.
‘I think it was a really solid game and solid performance from beginning until the end. Yeah, I was feeling quite well on court,’ said Berdych, who next month is set to be part of the Czech team playing Spain in the Davis Cup final.
With four berths still up for grabs at the elite eight-man showpiece in the UK’s capital, Berdych, 27, is sixth in the Race to London.
World number one Federer, Djokovic and Murray have already qualified for London, along with the injured Rafael Nadal.
Federer’s win on Thursday over Davis Cup team-mate Stanislas Wawrinka guaranteed him a record 300th week as world number one when the next rankings are published on Monday.
HESH-BOPANNA, PAES-STEPANEK IN SEMIS
In doubles, the Indian pair of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna reached their fifth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semifinals of the season.
The seventh seeds saved all five break points they faced to defeat second seeds Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor 7-6[7], 6-4 in one hour and 24 minutes.
Currently ranked No.8 in the ATP Doubles Team Rankings, they will next play No.11-ranked Britons Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins in the semis.
Meanwhile Radek Stepanek-Leander Paes also booked their place in the semi finals of the Shanghai Masters. The Indo-Czech pair defeated Jurgen Melzer-Milas Raonic 7-5, 6-7, 10-5 to advance.