BEIJING (AP) Top seeds Novak Djokovic and Caroline Wozniacki each advanced to the China Open semifinals on Friday.
Defending champion Djokovic, who is ranked No. 2, fended off all seven break points he faced while breaking Gilles Simon three times on his way to winning 6-3, 6-2. It's the fifth straight time he's beaten the Frenchman.
``I'm very happy that my serve is getting better and better, and hopefully I'm going to use it more and more,'' Djokovic said.
The U.S. Open runner-up is enjoying a recent surge, crediting his semifinals appearance at Wimbledon with providing a boost in confidence.
Looking for his second title of the year, Djokovic will meet American qualifier John Isner, who upset fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko 7-6 (4), 6-4, serving 18 aces to the Russian's one.
Djokovic beat Isner in their only previous match in March, but it took the Serb more than four hours and six match points to top Isner in the Davis Cup.
Wozniacki, who will take over the top ranking Monday, overcame a painful knee injury in the second set to beat former No. 1 Ana Ivanovic 7-6 (1), 6-3.
With her knee heavily taped, Wozniacki returned to the court at 3-1 in the second set and endured a late charge by Ivanovic to beat the Serb for the first time.
Ivanovic double-faulted nine times and broke the Dane twice, but Wozniacki applied more pressure and nailed three of 11 break opportunities.
Li Na gave the Chinese crowd something to celebrate with a hard-fought 7-6 (8), 6-3 victory against Latvian qualifier Anastasija Sevastova to reach the tournament's semifinals for the first time.
The world No. 15 struggled against her 55th-ranked opponent in the first set. In the second, Li went ahead 5-2, but Sevastova broke her serve to stay in the game. Undeterred, Li promptly broke back for the win, eliciting a huge cheer from the home crowd at the Beijing Tennis Center.
I wasn't at all familiar with this opponent,'' Li said.You see out on the court I was playing a little tight.''
Second-seeded Vera Zvonareva made easy work of French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-0, 6-2. That was one game better than the world No. 4 won against the Italian on the same court a year ago. Zvonareva improved to 10-0 against Schiavone in a match that lasted just 54 minutes.
Not the match you expect from a Grand Slam winner,'' Zvonareva said.I was really happy with the way I played and didn't really give her a chance.''
In the other women's quarterfinal, Israeli Shahar Peer was playing Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky.
Eighth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain surprised third-seeded Robin Soderling of Sweden 6-2, 6-4, and second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain was playing Croatian Ivan Ljubicic in the last men's quarterfinal.