Monaco, Haase sneak into semis in Austria

Kitzbuhel, Austria – Second seed and former champion Juan Monaco and two-time reigning titlist Robin Haase were among Thursday's quarterfinal winners at the $540,000 bet-at-home Cup Kitzbuhel tennis event.

The Argentine Monaco held off Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, while the big-serving Dutchman Haase improved to 12-0 at this tournament by upending third-seeded Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on the red clay at Kitzbuhel Tennis Stadium. Verdasco was a runner-up here back in 2005.

Haase, who's fresh off his runner-up finish in Gstaad on Sunday, beat German Philipp Kohlschreiber in last year's finale for his second straight Kitzbuhel championship.

Also in the round of eight, seventh-seeded Spaniard Albert Montanes handled Austrian wild card Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-3 and eighth-seeded Spaniard Marcel Granollers leveled Argentine Leonardo Mayer 6-3, 6-1.

Friday's semifinals will pit the 2007 Kitzbuhel champion Monaco against the 2011 runner-up Montanes and Granollers versus Haase.

The winner of this $540,000 event will earn $98,000.