AMERSFOORT, Netherlands, July 19 (UPI) -- Spain's Albert Costa and Argentina's Juan Ignacio Chela and Gaston Gaudio, the top three seeds, advanced Friday to the semifinals of the $381,000
Energis Open claycourt tournament.
Costa, who dropped the first set in each of his previous two matches, had a much easier time in the quarterfinals, routing Brazilian Andre Sa, 6-2, 6-2. Costa captured the French Open in June but skipped Wimbledon and was upset in the first round at
Gstaad last week by qualifier Paul-Henri Mathieu of France.
Costa lost to Gaudio in the final of the Open Seat Godo earlier this season and will get a chance to avenge that defeat in the semifinals.
Gaudio had also needed three sets to win the first two rounds, but cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 romp over fifth-seeded Jarkko Nieminen of Finland.
Chela, who suffered three straight first-round losses before beating Sweden's Andreas Vinciguerra on Monday, got past Spain's Juan Balcells, 7-6 (9-7), 6-3.
Chela is in the semifinals for the fourth time this season and will play Dutch qualifier John Van Lottum.
Van Lottum defeated Belgian Christophe Rochus, 6-4, 6-4.
