Ljubicic ends Henman's winning run
DOHA, Qatar -- Tim Henman's 10-match winning streak was ended in the semifinals of the Qatar Open by unseeded Croatian Ivan Ljubicic.
The seventh-seeded Briton, seeking back-to-back titles for the first time in his career, was beaten 7-6 3-6 7-6 after leading 5-2 in the final tiebreaker.
Frenchman Nicolas Escude also pulled off an upset, beating eighth-seeded Argentine Agustin Calleri 6-2 6-3.
Ljubicic, who had already beaten two other seeds, Nicolas Massu and Sebastien Grosjean, had said before the semifinal he was playing the best tennis of his career.
"I am very pleased to have got to the final but I don't think I played so well today. Tim puts you under constant pressure by coming to the net on everything and I can't play the game I like," said Ljubicic.
"It can make you full of positive energy and sometimes I feel like I want to scream. Sometimes that's the only way to get rid of negative energy. I'm just glad to have got through."
"It's a disappointing loss but in the context of the direction in which I am trying to go it's been a pretty positive week for me,"
said Henman, who ended last season with his best-ever career win at the Paris Masters.
Llodra springs Sydney surprise
Doubles specialist Michael Llodra upset second seed Vincent Spadea 6-4 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian hardcourt championships in Adelaide.
Llodra, who teamed up with fellow Frenchman Fabrice Santoro to win last year's Australian Open doubles title, sent the American spinning with a straight sets win.
Fifth-seed Taylor Dent of the U.S. posted a 7-6 6-2 win over former Australian Open champion, Swede Thomas Johansson, who is playing his first tournament in 14 months.
Finland's sixth-seed Jarkko Nieminen disposed of Australian wildcard Todd Reid 6-2 7-5 to book his place in the semis.
The left-handed Nieminen will play Dominik Hrbaty after the Slovakian beat Cyril Saulnier of France 6-4 7-6.
Srichaphan, Moya win in Madras
Defending champion Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand stayed on course for his third straight final at the Indian Open in Madras with a 6-3 7-6 quarterfinal win over Russia's Igor Andreev.
The second seed faces the winner of Spaniard Tommy Robredo's clash with Frenchman Jean-Rene Lisnard.
Top seed Carlos Moya beat Thierry Ascione of France 6-4 6-4 and next faces Dutch third seed Sjeng Schalken, who staged a late rally to beat fifth seed Felix Mantilla of Spain 6-2 5-7 7-6.
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