Fri Jul 18 12:13:04 2008

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Gicquel, Darcis reach Dutch Open semis

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Amersfoort, The Netherlands (Sports Network) - Top-seeded Frenchman Marc Gicquel and reigning champion Steve Darcis of Belgium were a pair of quarterfinal winners Friday at the clay-court Dutch Open.

Gicquel grounded Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-4, 6-1, while the third-seeded Darcis dropped fellow Belgian Christophe Rochus 7-5, 6-3 at Sportlokaal de Bokkeduinen. Gicquel and Darcis will square off in Saturday's semifinals.

Darcis beat Austrian Werner Eschauer in last year's finale here to capture his first-ever ATP title.

The other semifinal will pit fifth-seeded Albert Montanes against fellow Spaniard Oscar Hernandez. Montanes upset second-seeded Argentine Jose Acasuso 6-0, 6-2, while Hernandez ousted his fourth-seeded fellow Spaniard Marcel Granollers 7-5, 6-2 on Day 5.

The 2008 Dutch Open winner will take home $86,000.