Almagro, Davydenko fall in Kuala Lumpur quarters
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Top seed Nicolas Almagro and five star Nikolay Davydenko were among Friday's quarterfinal losers at the $850,000 Malaysian Open, which is part of the Asian swing on the ATP World Tour.
The Spanish Almagro was ousted by eighth-seeded Japanese Kei Nishikori 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4, while third-seeded Serb Janko Tipsarevic was leading the fifth-seeded Davydenko 3-1 when the Russian retired on the indoor hardcourts at Putra Stadium.
Davydenko captured the inaugural Malaysian Open title two years ago.
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The U.S., Open quarterfinalist Tipsarevic and Nishikori will do battle in Saturday's semifinals in Kuala Lumpur. The world No. 17 Tipsarevic is already 4-0 against Nishikori this season.
Saturday's other semi will pit second-seeded Serb Viktor Troicki against unseeded Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis. Troicki handled seventh-seeded Russian Dmitry Tursunov 6-4, 6-4, while the former Australian Open runner-up Baghdatis upended fourth-seeded Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).
The world No. 15 Troicki will appear in his first semifinal since February, while the wild card Baghdatis will compete in his second semifinal of 2011.
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The newest Kuala Lumpur champion will collect $155,000.