Holder bows out

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:34

The third seed looked short of his best in the quarter-final clash as Navarro, the world number 81, ran out a 6-4 6-2 winner in s’Hertogenbosch.

Navarro will now face Raemon Sluiter in the last four after the Dutch wild card secured a 4-6 6-4 6-4 victory over Israel’s Dudi Sela.

Qualifier Benjamin Becker is also through to the semi-finals thanks to a 7-6 (8/6) 7-5 win over former champion Michael Llodra.

His next opponent will be fellow German and fourth seed Rainer Schuettler, who was pushed all the way by Jeremy Chardy before sealing a 7-6 (9/7) 3-6 7-6 (13/11) success over the seventh-seeded Frenchman.

In the women’s draw, top seed Dinara Safina battled back from a set down to beat Daniela Hantuchova 1-6 6-4 6-3 in their quarter-final clash.

The Russian was broken twice on her way to dropping the first set, but fought back to claim a semi-final berth in just under two hours.

Third seed Flavia Pennetta saw her challenge ended by defending champion Tamarine Tanasugarn, the Thai posting a 2-6 6-3 6-3 result.

Belgian wildcard Yanina Wickmayer was a comfortable 6-1 6-1 victor over Germany’s Kristina Barrois to set up a meeting with Francesca Schiavone, who beat Olga Govortsova 6-1 6-3.

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