ATP - Casablanca - Saturday action

Spaniard Albert Montanes has reached the semi-finals of the Grand Prix Hassan II for the third time after the top seed beat seventh-seeded Italian Fabio Fognini 7-6(1), 6-2 in Casablanca on Friday. Montanes, who was runner-up in 2007 (l. to Mathieu) and a 2009 semi-finalist (l. Serra), converted three of four break point opportunities and won 66 per cent of service points. The World No. 24 wrapped up victory in one hour and 41 minutes. Fognini hit seven double faults. Montanes has a 2-0 record against his semi-final opponent, Pablo Andujar, including a recent meeting at the Copa Claro in Buenos Aires two months ago. Andujar won an all-Spanish contest against Pere Riba 6-2, 6-2 in 75 minutes. Andujar dropped 13 points on serve to improve to an 8-7 match record on the season. The 25 year old reached his first ATP World Tour singles final at the BCR Open Romania (l. to Chela) in September 2010.

Former World No. 6 Gilles Simon made a quarter-final exit on Friday evening. The third-seeded Frenchman fell to fifth seed Potito Starace of Italy 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in two hours and 20 minutes. It was the pair's first meeting since November 2007 at the BNP Paribas Open at Paris. Starace, currently No. 47 in the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings, advanced to the Movistar Open semi-finals (l. to Giraldo) at Santiago in February. Simon dropped to a 15-9 season record.