Two-time champion Marat Safin
was among Friday's quarterfinal winners at the $750,000 St. Petersburg Open.
The unseeded former world No. 1 Safin handled Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin 6-0,
7-6 (7-4) on the indoor hardcourts at SCC Peterburgsky. This will mark
Safin's first semifinal appearance in 23 tournaments.
The 2000 and 2001 St. Petersburg titlist Safin is making his final
appearance here, as he intends to retire from the ATP World Tour at season's
end.
Safin's semifinal opponent on Saturday will be Ukrainian qualifier Sergiy
Stakhovsky, who bested German Bjorn Phau 6-2, 7-5 on Day 6.
Meanwhile, Russian Igor Kunitsyn upset second-seeded Romanian Victor Hanescu
6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6) in Friday's nightcap and eighth-seeded Argentine Horacio
Zeballos landed in the final four with a 7-6 (10-8), 6-4 victory over
underachieving Latvian Ernests Gulbis. Zeballos and Kunitsyn will square off
in Saturday's other semi.
Sunday's titlist will collect $115,150.
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