Vienna - Marin Cilic stepped up his role as a first-time top seed with a 6-1, 6-4 defeat of tournament 2006 winner Feliciano Lopez Friday to power into the semi-finals of the Bank Austria trophy. The 13th-ranked Croatian, chasing a spot in next month's season- wrapup World Tennis Finals in London, kept his hopes alive with the overwhelming win.
"I don't feel the pressure," said Cilic, who was called in as a late wild card after US Open winner Juan Del Potro pulled out with the injuries that have plagued him since his Grand Slam success over Roger Federer nearly two months ago.
"Playing Davis Cup at home against the US in July helped me with that.
"I have played three solid matches here, this one was the best. I got off to a fast start with a break and then saved break points on my serve.
"I played well from the baseline even if I could serve a bit better. In the second set he played better but I was able to break after he gave me a few easy points in the seventh game."
Cilic will square off Saturday against Philipp Kohlschreiber,who began lining up a possible second straight year of German success in Vienna.
The fourth seed produced an efficient defeat of Spain's Nicolas Almagro 7-5, 6-4.
In the other semi, Austrian seventh seed Juergen Melzer upset tournament number two Radek Stepanek 6-2, 6-2 and will next play on- form Serb Janko Tipsarevic, who upset third seed Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-7 (8-10), 6-3.
Number 24 Kohlschreiber won his sixth match at the tournament to duplicate his showing of a year ago, when he reached the last four at the Stadthalle before losing to Frenchman Gael Monfils.
Compatriot Philipp Petzschner went on to win the 2008 title.
Kohlschreiber concluded his victory over Almagro with an eighth ace after breaking twice and saving all three opportunities against his own serve.
"I like my game right now and I'm really confident on this surface. For me, it doesn't matter if it's fast or slow. I'll play on it no matter what the speed.
"I didn't have a brilliant match but it was solid. I'm pleased to be back in the semi-finals and hope to go farther than last year.
