Gasquet gets in gear, Wozniacki solid ahead of Wimbledon in moving to Eastbourne semis

World No 14 Richard Gasquet advanced to the Eastbourne International semis, as did Caroline Wozniacki on Thursday as the tennis world continues to prepare for Wimbledon.

Richard Gasquet plays Martin Klizan at the Eastbourne International tournament on Thursday. Matthew Stockman / Getty Images / June 19, 2014

Richard Gasquet moved into his third semi-final of the season as the top seed defeated Slovak Martin Klizan 6-3, 6-4 at the ATP-WTA Eastbourne International on Thursday.

The world No 14 will be playing in a final four outside of his native France for the first time in 2014 as he prepares for next week’s Wimbledon championship after missing nearly two months and the entire clay season prior to Roland Garros with a back injury.

In the women’s draw at Devonshire Park, Briton Heather Watson moved into the semis as second seed after 2011 Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova withdrew before their match with a thigh strain on the eve of Monday’s All England Club start.

“I feel my right leg hamstring, I started to feel it yesterday morning,” said the Czech second seed.

“I played quite solid match yesterday, but today (Wednesday) was much more worse. So I hope that I’m gonna be ready for Wimbledon.

“I hope that it’s not that serious, I hope that just some days off will help. I don’t think it’s any strain or something very serious. But it’s really painful, so I really couldn’t move.

“Wimbledon is starting on Monday, and, yeah, I mean, I need to be ready for there.”

Watson faces Madison Keys, a winner over fellow American Lauren Davis 6-2, 6-1 as the first dark clouds of the week moved into the south coast area.

German fifth seed Angelique Kerber, a 2012 Wimbledon semi-finalist, advanced past Ekaterina Makarova in their quarter-final 6-2, 6-1.

“Nice and quick, but it was not so easy like the score said,” added the German. “I knew it would not be easy because we’ve had a lot of close matches in the past.

“I was just focusing on me, trying to be aggressive and take my chances. I think I did a good job today.”

Kerber will take on eighth seed Caroline Wozniacki, who fought through to defeat Italy’s Camila Giorgi 6-7 (7/9), 6-4, 6-2 and reach her third semi-final of the season after two and three-quarter hours on court.

“I really had to be focused out there. It felt good, I’m pleased,” said Wozniacki, 2009 champion. “For me, this was a good win. It was a good test for me.”

Gasquet advanced with seven aces and two breaks of serve in 68 minutes, saving both of the break points he faced, and declared he was optimistic about his progress.

“I’m feeling better and better, I’ve had no pain since Roland Garros. But after stopping for two months, it’s always difficult to come back.

“You are questioning yourself every day on your body. I’m playing, practising every day more and more. I am practicing on my physical condition. I ran a lot last week. So I’m starting to be better.

“I’m not 100 per cent on my game, but I think I’m playing better and better. I’ve won two good matches here, I served well. I could play with power. It’s a good start of the week for me.”

Gasquet next meets Uzbek Denis Istomin, who beat Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2.

He is competing in only his third tournament since April and opened on grass a week ago with a loss in Halle.

The 28-year-old won this title in 2005 and 2006 when the event was held in Notthingham.

American Sam Querrey beat France’s Julien Benneteau 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.

At the Hertogenbosch Open, qualifier Joao Sousa reached the semi-finals on as the Portuguese world No 48 brushed aside Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker 6-4, 6-2 at the combined ATP/WTA Wimbledon warmup event.

Sousa has benefited from the withdrawal of world number seven and 2012 David Ferrer, his scheduled first round opponent who pulled out with a stomach virus on the eve the tournament.

He will now face Germany’s Benjamin Becker, who came back from a set down to defeat Canadian Vasek Pospisil 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 in a fiercely-contested match that was briefly interrupted by rain.

The other quarter-final of the day, between Jurgen Melzer and Fernando Verdasco, was suspended at the outset of the third set, with Melzer winning the first 7-6 (7/3) before Verdasco responded by winning 7-6 (8/6).

In the women’s draw, Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova advanced to the last four with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Germany’s Annika Beck.

Beck, who advanced past defending champion and world No 4 Simona Halep of Romania after she withdrew on Wednesday with a shoulder injury, came up short against the world No 39 who is chasing a fifth WTA title.

China’s Zheng Jie awaits in the semi-finals after she crushed Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-0.

And eighth seed Klara Koukalova advanced easily by defeating Kazakhstan’s Yaroslava Shvedova 6-2, 6-4.

She will take on American Coco Vandeweghe, who won a tense first set tie-break before prevailing 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 over Spaniard Garbine Muguruza Blanco.

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