Top seed Andy Roddick will meet defending champion Andy Murray in the semi-finals of the San Jose Open for the second successive year after both came through tough three-set battles on Friday.
Roddick, the champion in 2004 and 2005, battled past fellow-American Vince Spadea 6-3, 6-7, 6-1, while third seed Murray edged out South Korea's Lee Hyung-taik 4-6, 6-3, 7-6.
German sixth seed Benjamin Becker, who upset Marat Safin 6-4, 6-3, will take on Ivo Karlovic in the other semi-final after the unseeded Croat overpowered American Mardy Fish 7-6, 6-4.
Roddick, who hit 19 aces, needed exactly two hours to get past eighth seed Spadea and reach the last four for the fifth time in six years.
Despite not being at his best, Roddick looked on course for a comfortable win when he led by a set and 4-3 with a break before Spadea hit back.
The 32-year-old, the oldest player in the draw, broke back and then snatched the tiebreak 7-5 to force the match into a third set.
But a loss of concentration at the start of the set allowed Roddick to regain the upper hand and as Spadea tired, the top seed eased to victory.
Murray looked in trouble when he dropped the first set to world number 54 Lee but upped his level to win the second set thanks to an early break.
The Scot broke in the 11th game of the decider and had a match point but was broken as Lee forced a tiebreak, before Murray snatched it 7-4 to claim his place in the semi-finals.
LISTLESS
Sixth seed Becker took advantage of a listless performance from Russian former world number one Safin, breaking once in each set to reach his third career ATP Tour semi-final.
"I think I was a little too slow today," Safin said.
"Maybe I had a bit of a problem with the timing because I played all my matches in the evening. Maybe it was a bit too early for me. I couldn't get into the match quickly enough."
Safin, the world number 24, won a five-set battle with Becker at the Australian Open last month, but made a stack of unforced errors in their latest meeting and could not even force a break point.
"I think I played pretty well and I think he made a few more mistakes than he usually does," Becker said.
"I just tried to him play a lot, not going for too much, especially on his serve and it worked out."
Karlovic followed up his victory over American second seed James Blake with a stunning exhibition of serving against Fish, the world number 25.
The Croat blasted 17 aces and dropped only 10 points on serve to leave Fish, a quarter-finalist at the Australian Open last month, chasing shadows.
"After being injured for almost six months last year, I didn't expect to do this well, so I am very happy," Karlovic said.
"I think each match I am playing better and serving better."
Karlovic, who stands six feet 10 inches, won the first-set tiebreak 7-2 and broke Fish in the third game of the second set before going on to reach his third ATP Tour semi-final.
"It's basically a crap-shoot when you play him," Fish said. "It doesn't really feel like tennis.
"It's not often you play a match where you are excited to reach 40-30. He serves so well and you just don't know where it's going."
