DOHA, Qatar, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Tim Henman cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Sargis Sargsian on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open.
Henman began last season returning from shoulder surgery and lost four of his first five matches. He reached the final in this tournament in 1997 and 1999 and last season won titles in Paris and Washington.
Henman will get a chance to avenge his first loss of last season on Friday as he faces Croatian Ivan Ljubicic.
Ljubicic, who is seeking his second career title, knocked off fourth-seeded Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Grosjean's Davis Cup teammate, Nicolas Escude, did advance to the semifinals and will face eighth-seeded Agustin Calleri of Argentina.
Escude, playing in his first tournament since retiring from a second-round match against Juan Carlos Ferrero at Wimbledon last year, cruised by Koran Hyung-Taik Lee, 6-4, 6-2.
