HALLE, Germany (AP)—Philipp Kohlschreiber eliminated defending champion Lleyton Hewitt 7-6 (4), 6-3 Friday in the Gerry Weber Open, joining fellow German Philipp Petzschner in the semifinals.
Kohlschreiber will face third-seeded Gael Monfils of France, who defeated Florian Mayer 6-4, 6-4.
“I’m No. 8 in the world, so this isn’t really a surprise,” Monfils said. “I’m happy with the way I am playing on the grass. And this is great preparation for Wimbledon.”
Petzschner moved into the final four with a 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 victory over eighth-seeded Milos Raonic of Canada.
Hewitt played three matches this week in his first ATP tour action since March because of foot and ankle injuries.
Kohlschreiber, the 2008 finalist, and Hewitt held serve in the first set. The German took a 4-2 lead in the tiebreaker before closing it. Kohlschreiber secured the only break of the match at 5-3 and finished with an ace on his first match point.
“I couldn’t really do anything wrong today,” Kohlschreiber said.
Petzschner, the 2010 Wimbledon doubles champion and semifinalist in Halle, broke Raonic’s first service game and held serve deep into the second set.
Petzschner failed to capitalize on a 5-2 lead in the second-set tiebreaker, with Raonic taking two service points off the German and winning 8-6.
In the third, Petzschner broke Raonic’s opening service game again and took a 3-0 lead. He failed to convert three break points for 5-1, but won when Raonic’s backhand drop-shot attempt went into the net.
Petzschner will play second-seeded Tomas Berdych, who defeated fifth-seeded Troicki 7-6 (3), 6-1. Berdych won the Wimbledon warm-up tournament in 2007.
Top-seeded Roger Federer withdrew earlier in the week because of a groin injury following the French Open.