American Robby Ginepri and Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic have been knocked out of the Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo.
Stepanek, the second seed, lost in straight sets to South African Wesley Moodie, 7-6, 7-6. In the semifinals, Moodie takes on Finland's Jarkko Nieminen, a three-set winner over American Taylor Dent 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.
Ginepri, the third seed, fell in straight sets to German Bjorn Phau 6-4, 6-3. The German next takes on fifth-seeded Mario Ancic of Croatia, who defeated Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus 6-1, 7-6.
Meanwhile, the women's semifinals will be an all-teenage affair with 18-year-old Sania Mirza of India playing 17-year-old Frenchwoman Tatiana Golovin. Mirza ousted top seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia 5-7, 6-2, 6-4. Golovin ousted Japan's Ai Sugiyama 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Sixteen-year-old Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic faces 18-year-old Russian Maria Kirilenko. Vaidisova beat Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. Kirilenko, the fourth seed, ousted former champion Jill Craybas of the United States 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.
Some information for this story provided by AP and AFP.
