CHENNAI, India, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Top seed Guillermo Canas enjoyed an easy path to the semifinals on Friday, but No. 2 Thomas Johansson and No. 3 Fabrice Santoro faltered at the $400,000 Tata Open hardcourt tennis tournament.
Canas was leading 7-5, 1-1 when Jiri Vanek of the Czech Republic retired due to injury.
Meanwhile, Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand rallied to upset
Johansson, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, and Karol Kucera of Slovakia outlasted Santoro, 6-2, 6-7 (9-11), 7-6 (7-5).
Canas faces Kucera in Saturday's semifinals, while Srichaphan takes on No. 4 Andrei Pavel of Romania, who pulled away for a 7-6 (8-6), 6-1 win over Alex Calatrava of Spain.
Canas is gunning for his second career ATP title. The 24-year-old Argentine won his first career ATP title in April at the Morocco claycourt event.
He also displayed his skills on all surfaces during 2001, advancing to the finals at
's-Hertogenbosch on grass, Stuttgart on hard courts and Vienna on clay.
