Roddick, upsets rule at China Open

Beijing -- Andy Roddick rallied for a three-set victory Friday but there were three upsets in quarterfinal action at the $524,000 China Open tennis tournament in Beijing.

Roddick, seeded second in Beijing, got by Juan Carlos Ferrero, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Ferrero controlled the first set with two breaks of Roddick's serve -- the American player's biggest strength. But Roddick faced just one break point, which he saved, in the final two sets in advancing to the semifinals.

While Roddick won, the three higher seeded players in the other quarterfinals Friday all lost. Third-seeded Fernando Gonzalez, who is the event's defending champion, was ousted by Bjorn Phau, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. No. 4-seeded Richard Gasquet was beaten, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, by Rainer Schuettler and sixth-seeded Tommy Robredo was taken out, 6-4, 6-1, by Dudi Sela, who upset tournament top-seed David Ferrer on Thursday.

Roddick will go against Phau, whom he beat in their only meeting, in one semifinal Saturday while Schuettler is to play Sela in the other.

The 2008 China Open is worth $85,000 to the winner of Sunday's title match.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.