Melzer ousts Isner, Stepanek reaches Memphis semis

Memphis, TN – Austrian Jurgen Melzer upended top-seeded 3, 7-6 (8-6) in the quarterfinals of the $1.155 million Regions Morgan Keegan Championships.

Melzer, who beat Isner in the first round here four years ago, overcame 11 aces from his opponent. Isner had 48 aces in his first two wins en route to the quarterfinals.

Also Friday, former runner-up Radek Stepanek eased into the semifinals. The third-seeded Stepanek won a tight first-set tiebreak against Sam Querrey before bageling the wild card American in the second stanza in a 7-6 (7-5), 6-0 victory on the indoor hardcourts at The Racquet Club of Memphis. Stepanek tallied four service breaks, compared to only one for the loser Querrey.

Stepanek was a runner-up here in 2009, while Querrey was the Memphis champion in 2010, when he topped Isner in an all-American final.

There are two other quarterfinal matches tonight. Fourth seed Milos Raonic of Canada faces Belgian Olivier Rochus, while Poland's Lukasz Kubot battles German Benjamin Becker. Raonic lost to American star Andy Roddick in last year's Memphis finale and is fresh off his title in San Jose last week.

The 2012 Memphis champ will pocket $277,915.