Muller ousts Gasquet at Moselle Open

METZ, France, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Gilles Muller upset No. 2-seeded Richard Gasquet and won a berth Friday in the semifinals of the Moselle Open tennis tournament in France.

Muller pounded out 11 aces -- giving him 31 in three matches this week -- in a 6-3, 6-4 win over Gasquet. Both players served well but Muller saved all six of Gasquet's break-point opportunities while converting two of the four he had.

No. 1-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga survived a challenge from Nicolas Mahut, winning 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. Tsonga had 20 aces -- he has 30 in two matches -- and lost his serve just once in the match.

Third-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov had broken the serve of Xavier Malisse, the No. 6 seed, to open the second set when Malisse retired. Dolgopolov won the first set 6-3.

Ivan Ljubicic, the No. 4 seed, topped Igor Sijsling 6-4, 6-3. He lost only 16 points over 10 service games. Ljubicic fired 13 aces giving him 26 in his two matches this week.

Tsonga will go against Dolgopolov, to whom he has lost twice this year, in one semifinal Friday. The other has Muller playing Ljubicic.