INDIANAPOLIS, July 19: Top-seeded James Blake breezed into the semi-finals of the Indianapolis Championships with a straight-set romp of Chinese Taipei’s Yen-Hsun Lu 6-2, 6-0 on Friday.

The American dominated in every facet, converting on 5-of-8 break points to take control of the match.

Blake was equally dominant on service, winning all 20 of his first-serve points and not allowing his opponent one break point opportunity.

Blake will face defending champion No 3 Dmitry Tursunov next, as all top four seeds have advanced to the semis.

Tursunov overcame an opening set loss to defeat Chilean opponent Paul Capdeville, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.

The Russian was broken twice in the opening set and double faulted nine times in the match. Tursunov rebounded and found his service rhythm, recording 12 aces.

Second seed Gilles Simon had to wade through his own first-set wobble to advance by defeating No 5 Tommy Haas 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Haas recorded the only service break of the opening set but Simon converted both of his breakpoint opportunities in the second to force a deciding set.

The 25th-ranked Simon wasted little time in the final set, moving to a 2-0 lead over before closing out his first career victory over his German opponent in just over two hours.

Simon will face American fourth seed Sam Querrey, who fired 17 aces and converted four of six break-point chances to defeat compatriot Bobby Reynolds 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.

Friday’s results (prefix number denotes seeding):

Quarter-finals: 3-Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) bt Paul Capdeville (Chile) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1; 1-James Blake (US) bt Lu Yen-Hsun (Taiwan) 6-2, 6-0; 4-Sam Querrey (US) bt Bobby Reynolds (US) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3; 2-Gilles Simon (France) bt 5-Tommy Haas (Germany) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

CHAKVETADZE UPSET

STANFORD (California): Marion Bartoli of France knocked holder Anna Chakvetadze out of the Stanford Classic 6-3, 6-4 in the quarter-finals on Friday, while top seed Serena Williams brushed aside Patty Schnyder 6-3, 6-1.

Bartoli will face Ai Sugiyama in the semi-finals after the Japanese fought back to beat Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova, who retired down 6-7, 7-6, 5-3.

Bartoli found success by attacking the Chakvetadze serve, breaking the second seed five times.

Williams registered five double faults in her match but still outgunned her opponent in less than an hour.

Williams, who will now face Canada’s Alexandra Wozniak, who reached her first Tier II WTA semi-final with a gutsy 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory over Australian Samantha Stosur.

After losing the first set, Japan’s Sugiyama found herself 5-4 down against the 19-year-old Cibulkova in the second.

However, the 33-year-old Japanese player mounted a stunning comeback and took full advantage when Cibulkova suffered cramp early in the third set.

Cibulkova received a medical time out down 5-3 in the third set but could not finish the match.

Results:

Quarter-finals: Aleksandra Wozniak (Canada) bt Samantha Stosur (Australia) 6-2, 5-7, 6-4; 1-Serena Williams (US) bt 5-Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) 6-3, 6-1; Ai Sugiyama (Japan) bt Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.—Reuters