Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (SportsNetwork.com) - U.S. Open runner-up Kei Nishikori and second seed Ernests Gulbis led the charge into the semifinals at the Malaysian Open tennis event.
The top-seeded Japanese star Nishikori whipped Aussie Marinko Matosevic 6-3, 6-0, while the talented Latvian Gulbis grounded 33-year-old German Benjamin Becker 6-3, 7-5 on the hardcourts at Putra Indoor Stadium.
Friday's other quarterfinals saw fourth-seeded two-time Kuala Lumpur runner-up Julien Benneteau of France defeat fifth-seeded Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4 and 33-year-old Finnish left-hander Jarkko Nieminen drive out seventh-seeded Spaniard Pablo Andujar 6-3, 6-4.
Benneteau lost to Portuguese Joao Sousa in last year's final to finish as the runner-up here for a second straight year.
"I hope I can make the final again. We'll see what happens tomorrow," said Benneteau. "It will be difficult. But I will try to be back in the final again and play better."
Saturday's semis will pit Nishikori against Nieminen and Gulbis versus Benneteau.
The 2014 Kuala Lumpur champ will claim $165,000.
