Monfils Into South African Open Semifinals, Brown Knocked Out
Frenchman Gael Monfils (top) and Jamaican Dustin BrownJOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Top-seeded Gael Monfils of France breezed past Yen-Hsun Lu of Taiwan 6-1, 6-4 Friday to reach the semifinals of the South African Open.
Monfils converted all three of his break points to complete the win in 56 minutes and set up a meeting with third-seeded Feliciano Lopez of Spain, who beat American Rajeev Ram 7-6(2), 6-3.
"I felt very good out there, I played a fast game and my form seems just perfect," said the 13th-ranked Monfils.
Second-seeded David Ferrer of Spain also advanced by beating India's Somdev Devvarman 6-1, 6-3 in 64 minutes.
"I did play very well," Ferrer said. "Last year I lost in the semifinals here but hopefully this time I can get to the final."
Ferrer will face No. 8 Stephane Robert of France, who beat Jamaica's Dustin Brown 7-6 (5), 6-3.
"It helps to have a big serve when you're playing at altitude which is the case here in Johannesburg, and I don't have the biggest of serves," Robert said. "So my strategy these past few days has been to work hard on perfecting my returns of serve and I've done that pretty good, beating three guys now with cannonball serves."
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Seen On The Scene: Venus And Serena At ESPN And BET
Venus attends the ESPN The Magazine's NEXT Event at the Fountainbleau Miami Beach.(Photos by Wireimage)
Venus and Serena pose backstage at the BET-SOS Saving Ourselves Help for Haiti Benefit Concert at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. 
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(PHOTOS) Venus Hosts Launch Party For Tide Plus Febreze Freshness Sport
Venus Williams, USA(Photos by Wireimage)
(L-R) Venus Williams, Gabrielle Union and Kelly Rowland
NFL baller David Clowney
Venus Williams (3rd from R) poses with Procter & Gambles Lauren Thamn, Christina Saunders, Suzanne Wastson, Kevin Crociata and Stephanie Merril.
Jamie Foxx
(L-R) Kelly Rowland, Gabrielle Union, Kellan Lutz, Venus Williams and DJ Irie
Terrell Owens and Pete Wentz
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Fed Cup: Shenay Perry Replaced
American Shenay Perry has been replaced on the US Fed Cup Team. World No. 215 Christina Mchale has been called in for the replacement.
Perry, ranked 148th, is suffering from a wrist injury and US Captain Mary-Jo Fernandez decided to call up the 17-year-old Mchale.
Fernandez stated, "Due to Shenay's wrist injury, I felt it would be best to (choose) Christina. Christina has had a great week of practice."
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South African Open: Monfils Advances, Ouanna and Klaasen Out
Friday, February 5, 2010
(L-R) Josselin Ouanna, FRA, Gael Monfils, FRA, Raven Klaasen, RSA(Photos by © Reg Cadecott and Getty Images)
Top seed Gael Monfils defeated fellow Frenchman Josselin Ouanna 6-4, 7-5 on Thursday in Johannesburg to book his place in the quarter-finals at the SA Tennis Open, an ATP World Tour 250 tennis tournament.
Ouanna managed to save 13 of the 16 break point chances he faced on serve, but it still did not prove enough to prevent his more experienced countryman from closing out the victory in one hour and 21 minutes.
Afterwards, World No. 13 Monfils admitted he had to work for the win against the 88th-ranked Ouanna. “I think he knows me well, and it’s hard all the time when players know you well,” he said. “Also, I just didn’t get the big serve. It was a bit tough. I needed to be focused to get back the return. Also, sometimes he can hit very hard with his forehand, so today was definitely harder than the first game.”
Monfils made an impressive tournament debut Tuesday, taking just 53 minutes to dismiss Slovakian veteran Dominik Hrbaty. The 23 year old is attempting to keep the Johannesburg title in French possession, after Jo-Wilfried Tsonga won the SA Tennis Open last year.
He will look to reach an ATP World Tour semi-final for the second time this season when he next plays seventh seed Yen-Hsun Lu. Earlier in the evening, after a 90-minute rain delay, Lu knocked out South African wild card Raven Klaasen 6-4, 7-5 in one hour and 56 minutes.
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