Del Potro knocks Ferrer out of Japan Open

TOKYO, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Juan Martin Del Potro swept out top-seeded David Ferrer in quarterfinal play Friday at the $869,000 Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo.

Del Potro had never before won a set from Ferrer, who is ranked No. 5 in the world, but had the Spanish star off balance in taking the first set 6-1 and finished the match 7-5 in the second set. Del Potro, ranked 12th in the world, has won 28 of his last 29 matches and is poised to reach the Top 10.

No. 3-seeded Fernando Gonzalez was also ousted, falling 6-0, 6-4 to ninth-seeded Tomas Berdych in 61 minutes.

Andy Roddick, seeded second, took a step toward a possible fourth ATP title in 2008 with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Viktor Troicki. Roddick's serves were again his best weapon and he faced just two break points in the match.

Fourth-seeded Richard Gasquet was a 6-3, 6-2 winner over 12th-seeded Rainer Schuettler and earned a semifinals shot at Del Potro. They have split their two previous meetings.

The other semifinal has Roddick against Berdych. Roddick is 2-1 against Berdych but they haven't played since the 2007 U.S. Open.