After jittery start, Roger Federer beats Arnaud Clement to reach semifinals of Estoril Open

Federer beats Clement to reach Estoril Open semis

OEIRAS, Portugal — Roger Federer recovered from an erratic start to beat Arnaud Clement 7-6 (7), 6-2 Friday and reach the semifinals of the Estoril Open.

Federer will next play defending champion Albert Montanes after the fourth-seeded Spaniard defeated Pablo Cuevas 6-4, 6-3.

Federer lost his serve in the opening game of the match before breaking back in the fourth. He squandered three break points in the fifth game as he repeatedly struggled with his backhand before gradually composing himself to win two service games without conceding a point.

Federer broke Clement’s serve in the first game of the second set when he conceded just five points on his own serve.

Fifth-seeded Guillermo Garcia-Lopez advanced after Alberto Martin retired with the score at 6-0, 2-0 and next meets Frederico Gil, who eliminated fellow Portuguese Rui Machado 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-3.

There were upsets in both of the women’s semifinals as Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain overcame second-seeded Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-1, 6-4, and Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia rallied to beat No. 7 Peng Shuai of China 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-3.