Moya through to Estoril Open semifinals

OEIRAS, Portugal (AP) -- No. 2 seed Marat Safin of Russia lost to Finnish Jarkko Nieminen on Friday in the quarterfinals of the $665,000 clay-court Estoril Open.

The 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 sets were a shocking defeat for Safin, the top seed in 2000, who last weekend helped Russia to the Davis Cup semifinals.

In other quarterfinal play, Brazilian veteran Fernando Meligeni defeated the Czech Republic's Radek Stepanek 6-4, 6-1.

Third-seeded Spaniard Carlos Moya beat Belarusia's Max Mirnyi 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-3

The 1998 French Open champion, who won here two years ago, struggled in the first two sets but found his form in the third, easily overcoming Mirnyi.

Argentine David Nalbandian, who knocked out defending champion Carlos Ferrero in the second round, defeated No. 5 seed Sjeng Schalken of the Netherlands 6-4, 6-4.

In the women's event, underdog Anca Barna of Germany stunned top-seeded Spaniard Angeles Montolio, the defending champion, 6-4, 7-6 (0) to advance to her first WTA tournament semifinal.

In another upset, 15-year-old qualifier Russian Dinara Safina beat Croatian Maja Matevzic 6-0, 7-5.

Fourth-seeded Magui Serna of Spain cruised past the No. 5 seed Tina Pisnik of Slovenia 6-2, 6-0; and Russia's Elena Bovina overcame Spain's Lourdes Dominguez Lino 6-3, 6-2.

 

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