Tennis Capsules: Top-seeded Tursunov loses in Indianapolis quarters

INDIANAPOLIS — Top-seeded Dmitry Tursunov of Russia was upset in the quarterfinals of the Indianapolis Tennis Championships on Friday, losing 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2 to Frank Dancevic of Canada.

Dancevic, unseeded and seeking his first ATP title, will face third-seed Sam Querrey of the U.S. in Saturday’s semifinals. Dancevic defeated fifth-seed Benjamin Becker of Germany to make the quarters.

"I’ve been playing well from the first round," Dancevic said. "I’m glad I was able to play solid against Dmitry and close it out."

Tursunov, ranked No. 27, received the top seeding after Andy Roddick withdrew because of a hip injury. Tursunov beat Dancevic in the 2007 Indianapolis finals and was runner-up in this event last year.

"He started getting hold of my serve in the second set," Tursunov said. "I had chances in the second-set tiebreaker, but I couldn’t convert them."

Querrey advanced with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Marc Gicquel of France, earning a spot in the semifinals for the third straight year. He has never made the finals.

"I like my chances, I’m playing well, but it’s definitely going to be tough," Querrey said. "Frank is playing great and that will probably be my toughest match yet."

American Robby Ginepri beat countryman Alex Bogomolov Jr., 7-5, 6-1 to advance. Ginepri will face another American, John Isner, in Saturday’s other semifinal.

Isner knocked off Wayne Odesnik of the U.S. 7-5, 6-7 (2), 7-5. The 2-hour, 37-minute match ended when Isner’s return hit the top of the net and fell out of Odesnik’s reach.

"That’s the only time I’ve ever won a match like that," said Isner, the second-tallest player on tour at 6 feet 9. "You don’t want to win like that, I was really lucky. That stinks for Wayne."

Roger Federer’s wife gives birth to twin girls

GENEVA — Roger Federer is playing a different kind of doubles.

Tennis’ top-ranked player became a father for the first time when his wife, Mirka, gave birth to twin girls Thursday.

"I have some exciting news to share with you," Federer said on his Web site and Facebook page. "Late last night, in Switzerland, Mirka and I became proud parents of twin girls."

They are named Charlene Riva and Myla Rose, and Federer said the girls and his 31-year-old wife are "doing great."

"This is the best day of our lives," he said on his Facebook page.

The 27-year-old tennis great married Mirka in April. He announced her pregnancy in March, but it was a well-kept secret that she was expecting twins.

More than 1,500 fans worlwide sent congratulations to Federer’s Web site.

"Here comes the future tennis players," said one fan.

"Wait 15 to 20 years," another said. "The Williams sisters will look like a joke compared to the Federer sisters."

Federer is not scheduled to return to the tour until Aug. 10 in Montreal. Mirka sat courtside this month when Federer won an epic, five-set Wimbledon final against Andy Roddick for his 15th Grand Slam title, breaking Pete Sampras’ record.

Federer met Mirka — born Miroslava Vavrinec in Slovakia — in 2000 when they were competing for Switzerland in the Sydney Olympics. Mirka emigrated with her family to Switzerland as a child. After playing on the WTA Tour and retiring because of injury she became one of Federer’s managers.

-- Elaine Engler

Nalbandian, Ancic withdraw from U.S. Open

NEW YORK — David Nalbandian of Argentina and Mario Ancic of Croatia have withdrawn from the U.S. Open.

The United States Tennis Association said Friday that the 15th-ranked Nalbandian is recovering from hip surgery and the 90th-ranked Ancic is battling mononucleosis.

Ivan Navarro of Spain and Karol Beck of Slovakia will replace Nalbandian and Ancic in the main draw of the Grand Slam tournament that runs from Aug. 31 to Sept. 13.

Wozniak’s road a little tougher this year

STANFORD, Calif. — Defending Bank of the West Classic champion Aleksandra Wozniak came out of the qualifying tournament to win her first career WTA Tour title last year. She’s in the main draw this year but has the likes of Wimbledon champion Serena Williams and former Grand Slam champion Venus Williams in her path this year.

Serena, ranked second in the world, and Venus, ranked third, are the top two seeds as the Bank of the West draw was announced Friday.

The 37th-ranked Wozniak opens against 27th-ranked Daniela Hantuchova.

Eight of the top 15 players are entered, along with former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova.

Cuevas beats Almagro to gain German Open semis

HAMBURG — Qualifier Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay upset 14th-seeded Nicolas Almagro 6-2, 6-4 Friday to reach the German Open semifinals.

It was Cuevas’ second semifinal of the year, having reached the final four at Vina del Mar, Chile, in February. The 107th-ranked Cuevas beat another seeded player in the third round, No. 8 Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Cuevas, whose biggest success so far was winning the French Open doubles title in 2008 with Luis Horna of Peru, will meet 13th-seeded Paul-Henri Mathieu of France. Mathieu advanced when Viktor Troicki retired with a foot injury while trailing 3-0.

Second-seeded Nikolay Davydenko of Russia defeated 11th-seeded Victor Hanescu of Romania 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 and will play No. 6 David Ferrer of Spain, who beat German wild card Simon Greul 6-2, 6-3.

After missing much of the first four months of the year with various injuries, Davydenko has reached his third semifinal of 2009. He is still without a title this year.

Ferrer, who is also looking for his first title of the year, has split the previous two matches against Davydenko. Cuevas and Mathieu have never played each other.

Top-seeded Cornet reaches Gastein semifinals

BAD GASTEIN, Austria — Top-seeded Alize Cornet beat Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 on Friday to reach her first semifinal of the season at the Nuernberger Gastein Ladies.

The 28th-ranked Frenchwoman served flawlessly and converted both break points in the deciding set.

Cornet, the only seeded player left in the draw, had not won two straight matches since February.

In the semifinals, Cornet will play Ioana Raluca Olaru of Romania, who defeated No. 6 Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia 6-4, 6-4 for her first semifinal in two years.

Earlier Friday, Andrea Petkovic rallied to beat Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-1 and advanced to her first career semifinal.

The seventh-seeded Groenefeld, who reached the final four in Palermo last week, hit 11 double faults. She won only six points on serve in the decider.

The 98th-ranked Petkovic will play Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan, who beat 2007 finalist Yvonne Meusburger of Austria 6-2, 6-3.

Safina beats Camerin to make Slovenia semifinals

PORTOROZ, Slovenia — Top-ranked Dinara Safina has reached the semifinals of the Slovenia Open by beating beat Maria Elena Camerin of Italy 6-3, 6-0.

The Russian broke twice in the first set and three times in the second, dropping serve only once in the match on Friday. Safina will play Alberta Brianti of Italy, who defeated Camille Pin of France 6-3, 6-2.

Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland routed Rossana De Los Rios of Paraguay 6-1, 6-1 to reach her first WTA semifinal.

She will play 2008 champion and fifth-seeded Sara Errani of Italy, who ousted Croatian wild card Petra Martic 6-1, 6-1.