ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, 20 February 2005 — Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic fired a timely warning to the US Davis Cup team with a World Indoor Tournament semifinal victory yesterday, just two weeks before the teams meet in the Davis Cup first round.

US Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe is unlikely to have fond memories of their clash two years ago, when Ljubicic almost single-handedly dished out a shock 4-1 defeat to the Americans by winning all three of his matches.

With the countries set to meet in Los Angeles for the March 4-6 tie, McEnroe will have taken note that Croatia’s top two players are enjoying the best form of their careers.

Ljubicic reached his third final of the year yesterday with a 7-6, 7-5 win over Sweden’s Thomas Johansson, while Ancic is contesting his second semifinal in as many weeks in Rotterdam.

Roddick Outlasts Ginepri in Memphis Quarterfinals

In Raleigh, North Carolina, top seeded American Andy Roddick blasted 22 aces on his way to a 7-6, 7-6 victory over compatriot Robby Ginepri in the quarter-finals of the Kroger St. Jude ATP event in Memphis on Friday.

The world No. 3 will face Kenneth Carlsen in the semifinals after the unseeded Dane edged American Jan-Michael Gambill 7-6, 7-5.

Second seed Tommy Haas had an easier time than Roddick as the German eased to a 6-4, 6-3 victory over fifth-seeded Xavier Malisse of Belgium without facing a break point. Hass will next play eighth seed Max Mirnyi after the Belarussian outlasted France’s Antony Dupuis 7-6, 7-6.

In the WTA event, defending champion Vera Zvonareva defeated fellow Russian Evgenia Linetskaya 6-4, 6-1.

American Meghann Shaughnessy edged a 7-6, 7-6 thriller over 15-year-old Czech prospect Nicole Vaidisova who staved off five match points in the second set before succumbing on the sixth.

Williams Too Good for Clijsters in Antwerp

In Brussels, Venus Williams made light work of local favorite and former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters to reach the semifinals of the Antwerp Diamond Games tournament on Friday, as the top four seeds all advanced.

The third seeded American, seeking her third title in Antwerp, won 6-2, 6-3 to end the Belgian’s run in a tournament she entered to make her latest comeback from a serious wrist injury.

French Open champion Myskina was stretched in the first set of her quarterfinal before overcoming unseeded Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik 7-6, 6-2 in the final match of the day. Williams and Myskina have met three times before with the American holding a 2-1 advantage.

French top seed Amelie Mauresmo fought back to beat Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, setting up a semifinal showdown with Australia’s Alicia Molik, who beat Czech Klara Koukalova 6-3, 6-4.