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4/9/09 7:36 PM | Ricky Dimon
Igor Andreev survives a three-set marathon with Nicolas Devilder on Thursday at the Grand Prix Hassan II. He is joined in the quarterfinals by Marc Gicquel.
(1) Igor Andreev d. Nicolas Devilder 6-7(11), 7-6(5), 6-4
If Andreev had converted more than two of 16 break-point opportunities in this second-round thriller, it would have been over a lot sooner. Instead, Casablanca's No. 1 seed needed three hours and 16 minutes to survive Devilder and reach the quarterfinals. Andreev missed five break chances in the opening set as twelve straight service holds resulted in a tiebreaker, which lasted a whopping 23 points. Devilder finally finished it off 13-11 to take a surprising one-set advantage. Each man dropped serve once in set two, with Andreev saving four of five break points and Devilder fending off six of seven. In this 'breaker, however, the underdog Frenchman was not able to deliver in the crucial moments with an upset on the line. Andreev took it seven points to five to force a decisive third set. Finally armed with the momentum, Andreev got a look at break points in both the first and third games of the final frame of play. The Russian squandered both chances, but finally delivered with a break for 3-2. That ended up being enough for the world No. 22, as he lost a mere seven points in his last five service games and did not face a break point in the third. Next up for Andreev is sixth-seeded Marc Gicquel, and a semifinal spot will be at stake when they do battle on Friday.
(6) Marc Gicquel d. Mischa Zverev 6-4, 7-5
This one ended in straight sets after one hour and 38 minutes, but little separated the two men aside from the clutch moments of each set. Gicquel earned two breaks and surrendered serve once on his way to a 5-4 lead in the opening frame of play. Despite putting in a mediocre 53 percent of his first serves and winning just 44 percent of his second-serve points in the first set, the Frenchman held serve at 5-4 to gain the early advantage. Zverev picked up the pace on his own serve in set two, firing four aces, but the two players exchanged one break each on the way to 5-5. That's when the 75th-ranked German ultimately cracked. Two double-faults contributed to what proved to a decisive break of serve for Gicquel. Casablanca's No. 6 seed promptly served out the match at 6-5 to book his place in the quarterfinals. Gicquel, ranked 50th in the world, finished with no double-faults and saved seven of nine break points on his way to victory.
Andreev and Gicquel are joined in the semifinals by Florent Serra and Teimuraz Gabashvili. One round after dismissing Thomaz Bellucci 6-3, 6-3, Serra ousted Olivier Rochus by the same scoreline on Thursday afternoon. Gabashvili eased past Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-4, 6-4. Serra and Gabashvili will square off against each other during Friday's quarterfinals.
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