Ljubicic knocks out Baghdatis

Defending champion Marcos Baghdatis bid goodbye to China Open on Friday after losing 6-4, 4-6, 6-7 (5-7) to Croatian veteran Ivan Ljubicic in the quarterfinals.

The hard-hitting Croatian meets second-seed Fernando Gonzalez of Chile in the semis. Gonzalez beat sixth-seed South Korean Lee Hyung-taik 7-5, 6-7 (7-5), 6-4 in two hours, 24 minutes.

Almost three weeks after his first round loss to Max Mirnyi in the US Open, Baghdatis, tried in vain to hang on the match after losing the crucial tiebreaker. Before Friday, the defending champion had won all his three matches against Ljubicic.