ZAGREB (Croatia), Feb 3: Defending champion Ivan Ljubicic outlasted Thomas Johansson of Sweden 7-6 (8), 6-7 (8), 7-6 (4), prevailing over his fellow Monaco resident on Friday for a place in the semi-finals of the Zagreb Open.

Ljubicic had 28 aces and five double faults in a match that featured only two service breaks -- one by each player in the last set -- and lasted two hours, 46 minutes.

Johansson had 17 aces and six double faults as both players won 116 points each.

Second-seeded Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus also was stretched to a third set to defeat Arnaud Clemente of France in another quarter-final, 6-2, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5).

Baghdatis had a chance to close out Clemente in straight sets, but was broken while serving for the match at 5-4 and was routed in the second-set tiebreaker. Baghdatis raced to 5-0 lead in the final-set tiebreaker, but then struggled to finish and earn a semi-final berth against Alexander Peya of Austria.

Ljubicic trailed 4-1 in the first tiebreaker before rallying. He staved off four set points in the second-set tiebreaker before finally succumbing.

Ljubicic broke to lead 1-0 in the third set. But Johansson broke back immediately and forced the final tiebreaker, where Ljubicic jumped out to a 3-0 lead and eventual victory.

The top-seeded Croat next faces fourth-seeded Mikhail Youzhny after the Russian defeated Marc Gicquel of France 7-5, 6-2.

Youzhny gained controlled at the end of the first set and then cruised to victory with a dominant serve and a series of winners.

Peya beat Michael Llodra of France 6-3, 6-3. The Austrian broke in the seventh game of the first set and went on to win the second set despite dropping his serve twice.—AP