VALENCIA — Jeremy Chardy reached his fourth tour-level quarterfinal of the season Thursday as he upset fourth seed John Isner 7-6 (7), 6-3 at the Valencia Open 500. The Frenchman managed to out-ace Isner 17-12 and break the American twice to claim victory in 82 minutes. The 26-year-old Chardy, a quarterfinalist at the Australian Open in January, improved to a 22-23 match record on the season and goes on to face Russia's Dmitry Tursunov. Jarkko Nieminen defeated qualifier Alejandro Falla 6-3, 6-3 in 67 minutes.
Serena powers ahead World No. 1 Serena Williams beat Agnieszka Radwanska for the eighth time in eight matches between them to move ominously toward the semifinals of the WTA Championships Wednesday. The American was again too strong for the Pole in a 6-2, 6-4 victory to stay in charge of Red Group with one more round-robin match to come against Petra Kvitova. Radwanska, who has managed only one set in her meetings with the 32-year-old Serena, is now unlikely to survive the group after two defeats so far at the season-ender. Earlier in White Group Serbia's Jelena Jankovic beat second seed Victoria Azarenka 6-4 6-3, aided by 40 unforced errors from her erratic opponent. “It feels incredible to beat Azarenka here in Istanbul,” former world No. 1 one Jankovic, making her first appearance at the event for three years, said. Federer rallies to victory In Switzerland, Roger Federer came from behind to beat Denis Istomin 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the second round of the Swiss Indoors on Wednesday. Federer conceded a set for the first time in five matches against the 48th-ranked Uzbek, and then had to rally from 0-40 down in his first service game in the decider. The seventh-ranked Swiss converted his first match point with a delightful backhand volley, but is still looking for his best tennis and a strong finish to the most difficult season of his career. Earlier, Federer's chances of qualifying for the ATP World Tour Finals in London next month improved when Richard Gasquet was beaten 6-4, 6-2 by fellow Frenchman Michael Llodra in a first-round match. Also Wednesday, top-seeded Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina eased past Swiss wild card Henri Laaksonen, 6-4, 6-4. Seeded players continued to tumble with the fifth-seeded Gasquet followed by No. 6 Kei Nishikori of Japan, who lost 6-1, 6-2 against Ivan Dodig of Croatia. Eighth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov beat Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-3 and the Bulgarian is on course to meet Federer in the quarterfinals Friday. In another match Canadian Vasek Pospisil won 6-4, 6-4 against Robin Haase of the Netherland. — Agencies?
