By Chris Oddo | Friday, February 7, 2014
Defending Open Sud de France champion Richard Gasquet will face Jerzy Janowicz in Saturday's semifinal after both players notched straight-sets decisions on Friday in Montpelier.
Photo Source: Open Sud de France
Richard Gasquet kept alive hopes of making his second successful career title defense with a straight-sets win over hard-serving qualifier Albano Olivetti on Friday at the Open Sud de France in Montpelier.
The 27-year-old last defended a title at Nottingham in 2006.
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Gasquet, who defeated Benoit Paire in last year's final, withstood 13 aces from the 6-foot-8, 22-year-old qualifier en route to a 6-4, 6-2 victory. Gasquet only dropped seven points on serve and did not face a break point against Olivetti.
Gasquet will clash with Polish No. 1 Jerzy Janowicz in a blockbuster semifinal on Saturday. Janowicz took down Edouard Roger-Vasselin in straight sets, serving 18 aces and converting on three of seven break point opportunities to close out the Frenchman in just over an hour.
Gael Monfils was the other of five French quarterfinalists to go through to the semis in Montpelier after taking down the explosive Denis Istomin, 6-4, 6-4. Monfils broke the Uzbek four times and fired seven aces to claim the victory.
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Marc Gicquel, who became the oldest ATP player to win back-to-back matches since Fabrice Santoro did so in Newport in 2009, couldn't get by Jarkko Nieminen of Finland in a tight three-setter, as the sixth-seeded Finn triumphed 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5), to set up a semifinal clash with Monfils.
Monfils, a two-time finalist in Montpelier, won the title in the South of France when he defeated Tomas Berdych in the 2010 final.
Gasquet, who is in his first week of working with Spanish coach Sergi Bruguera, has split two career matches with Janowicz. The Frenchman is bidding for his 11th career title, while Janowicz has yet to win an ATP title.