VIENNA, Oct 14: Rising Czech star Radek Stepanek advanced to the semifinals of the CA-BA Trophy on Friday when he battled past defending champion Feliciano Lopez of Spain.

Lopez, who has teetered for two years on the edge of the world’s top 20 without yet making it, had won the only title of his career here last year.

But he lost it 7-6 (10/8) 7-6 (7/5) as the fast-moving Stepanek reached his sixth semifinal of the year.

Stepanek will next meet Croatian Davis Cup hero Ivan Ljubicic, who continued his great run by beating Fernando Gonzalez, the sixth-seeded Chilean, 6-3, 7-5.

But although eighth-seeded Lopez has never beaten the third-seeded Stepanek in their four meetings he can take heart that he was arguably closer this time. When he reached set point at 7-6 and 8-7 in the first set tie-breaker it seemed very possible that the champion’s defence was going to bring a surprise.

But Lopez missed his chance disappointingly. At 8-7 he pulled an attacking forehand wide of Stepanek’s backhand sideline, and then at 8-8 he faded another forehand drive wide of the other line, which meant he had lost both rallies on that pair of service points.

He then compounded the errors when another attempt to attack with a forehand drive was launched into the net from a short ball, conceding a set which Lopez had been in a good position to win.

The first tie-breaker was won by Stepanek by ten points to eight; the second by seven points to five after Lopez had been within two points of levelling the match at five points all.

Ljubicic, meanwhile, has remained unbeaten while winning nine Davis Cup rubbers this year, leading his country to the final.

Last week he won the second ATP title of his career, and now he reached his seventh semifinal in the finest season of his career.

Quarterfinals results:

Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) bt Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) 6-3, 7-5; Radek Stepanek (CZE) bt Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 7-6 (10/8) 7-6 (7/5)