SHANGHAI — For the first time in the four-year existence of the Shanghai Masters, the top four seeds have reached the semifinals. Top-seeded Roger Federer, No. 2 Novak Djokovic, No. 3 Andy Murray, and No. 4 Tomas Berdych succeeded in meeting the expectations of their seedings Friday. The top four men's seeds have also reached the semifinals at four other tournaments this year: Australian Open; Doha, Qatar; Estoril, Portugal; and Umag, Croatia. Federer turned out Marin Cilic of Croatia 6-3, 6-4 to set a semifinal date with Murray, the two-time defending Shanghai champion. Murray won their last match in the London Olympics final to lead their matchups 9-8. Murray also beat Federer in the 2010 Shanghai final. Murray improved his Shanghai record to 11-0 by overcoming a tenacious Radek Stepanek 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. Djokovic advanced to the semifinals by pasting unseeded Tommy Haas of Germany 6-3, 6-3. He'll face Berdych, who outlasted Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the first match of the day. Berdych has beaten Djokovic only once in 10 matches. Azarenka reaches semis Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka reached her 10th semifinal of the season Friday by defeating Petra Martic of Croatia 6-2, 6-2 at the Generali Ladies. Azarenka will next play either Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States or Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania. Julia Goerges also reached the semifinals after beating Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden 6-1, 6-4. On Thursday, two-time former champion Ana Ivanovic reached the quarterfinals by defeating Andrea Petkovic of Germany 6-4, 6-3. Ivanovic, the 2008 and 2010 champion who has at least reached the quarterfinals all five times at the event, will take on Kirsten Flipkens after the Belgian rallied to defeat Mallory Burdette of the United States 4-6, 6-1, 7-5. Stosur makes last 4 Top-seeded Sam Stosur of Australia moved into the Japan Open semifinals with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Jamie Hampton of the United States Friday. Stosur, the 2011 US Open champion, broke her unseeded opponent's serve seven times in the quarterfinal while never facing a break point herself. Stosur, ranked ninth in the world, will meet Kai-chen Chang of Taiwan on Saturday, after the unseeded Chang ousted eighth-seeded Laura Robson of Britain 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4). Also, unseeded local favorite Misaki Doi advanced to her first WTA semifinals by defeating seventh-seeded Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa 2-6, 6-1, 6-3. Doi will take on Heather Watson of Britain in the semis. Watson bested Pauline Parmentier of France 7-5, 6-3. — Agencies
