Ferrer On Song In Geneva

David Ferrer is into the semi-finals of the Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open after dispatching countryman Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-2 on Thursday. The second seed saved six of seven break points faced and needed 74 minutes to secure his 11th win in 12 FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings with Garcia-Lopez.

“I played better than yesterday. Yesterday I got lucky,” Ferrer, who dropped the first set in his match against Denis Istomin on Wednesday, said. “I will be playing against a very good opponent in the semi-final, so I hope the people will be able to enjoy a good tennis match.”

In the semi-finals, Ferrer will face third seed Marin Cilic, who defeated Federico Delbonis 6-4, 6-3. The Croat broke the sixth seed four times in the 76-minute encounter to improve to 2-0 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry. The 27 year old is taking part in his first ATP World Tour event since the Miami Open presented by Itau in March and has won all four sets played this week.

“Delbonis is a very tough opponent on clay, he’s had some good results,” Cilic said. “From the first point I was concentrated and played aggressively. Even after losing points, I kept my rhythm and kept playing the way that I needed to.

“I’m putting a lot of returns in the court, and making them with good power. I’m in a good place with my tennis, and I just have to do the same thing day after day.”

Ferrer is 4-1 against Cilic and has won both clay-court encounters. He was a semi-finalist in Auckland (l. to Sock) and in Buenos Aires (l. to Almagro) and is looking to reach his first ATP World Tour final since the Erste Bank Open 500 in Vienna last year.

“I will have to make [Marin] move by taking the ball with my forehand,” Ferrer said. “If I don’t, then I will not have a chance.”

Top seed Stan Wawrinka also scored a comprehensive victory in the quarter-finals, defeating Pablo Carreno Busta in 51 minutes. Wawrinka only dropped three first-serve points (19/22) and did not face a break point in the match.

“I think I was able to raise my game a notch,” Wawrinka said. “I moved better, I was more fluid in everything I did. The ball obeyed me. A perfect match, from my point of view.

“When I feel good on the court, I think I have the game to win any match. I’m happy about that. Now it’s about continuing to play well. I have to keep being tough on myself and to fight in every match to keep winning here.”

Wawrinka improved to 2-0 against the Spaniard, with both wins coming on clay. He is into the semi-finals in Geneva for the first time and is aiming for a third ATP World Tour title in 2016 (Chennai and Dubai). He will next face Lukas Rosol, who won 27 of 37 points in the third set during a 2-6, 6-1, 6-0 win over Andrey Kuznetsov.

Americans Advance In Doubles

Third seeds Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey edged wild cards Manuel Pena Lopez and Janko Tipsarevic 7-6(3), 6-1 to reach the doubles semi-finals on Thursday. The Americans combined to hit nine aces and saved all three break points faced. They will next face Julian Knowle and Lukas Rosol.