Dolgopolov, Ljubicic reach Metz quarters

Metz, France – World No. 20 Alexandr Dolgopolov and former champion Ivan Ljubicic landed in the quarterfinals at the $550,000 Moselle Open tennis event.

The third-seeded Dolgopolov came from behind to dismiss former Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-3 in second-round action on the indoor hardcourts at Metz Expo Park. The bout lasted 2 hours, 20 minutes and saw the Ukrainian victor swat 10 aces.

The 2005 Metz titlist Ljubicic drilled 13 aces and got past French qualifier Nicolas Renavand 7-5, 7-5 on Wednesday. The fourth-seeded Croatian veteran is a former top-five star on the ATP World Tour.

In another second-round affair, eighth-seeded Gilles Muller topped France's Benoit Paire 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. Luxembourg's Muller swatted 12 aces in the hour- and-a-half matchup.

In some opening-round action on Wednesday, wild card and veteran French crowd favorite Arnaud Clement upended fifth-seeded compatriot Michael Llodra 6-3, 6-4. The 33-year-old former Australian Open Clement was the champion here in Metz back in 2003.

Clement will battle another fellow Frenchman, Nicolas Mahut, on Thursday.

Additional first-round play saw seventh-seeded German Philipp Kohlschreiber best French qualifier Jonathan Dasnieres de Veigy 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) and Russian Igor Kunitsyn outlast French wild card Kenny De Schepper 7-5, 5-7, 6-4.

In some other second-round action on Thursday, top-seeded French star Jo- Wilfried Tsonga will meet qualifier compatriot Mathieu Rodrigues and second- seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet will battle Belgian veteran Olivier Rochus.

The 2011 Moselle Open champion will collect $100,000.