Monfils stuns Nadal in Qatar Open

DOHA, Qatar, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Frenchman Gael Monfils slammed seven aces and made three service breaks Thursday to knock world No. 1 and top-seed Rafael Nadal out of the Qatar Open .

Monfils, the tournament's fifth seed, disposed of the Spaniard in a little less than an hour and a half and moved on to the semifinals.

Second-seeded Swiss star Roger Federer also advanced, managing to hold off No. 8 Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 6-2, 7-6 (8-6).

Federer, a 13-time Grand Slam winner, won the Qatar event in 2005 and 2006.

Defending champion Andy Murray of Britain and American Andy Roddick also reached the semifinals.

Murray, the No. 3 seed, breezed past Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-4, 6-2 and will take on Federer in the semis.

Roddick, seeded fourth, ousted Romanian Victor Hanescu 6-3, 6-2 and will go against Monfils.