Querrey upsets Blake to reach first tour semi-final

INDIANAPOLIS, July 28 (Reuters) Defending champion James Blake was upset by fellow American Sam Querrey 7-6 6-7 7-6 in a sensational quarter-final at the Indianapolis Championships today.

''I definitely wish I'd have a couple of more matches this week, but I think I've played well the last two weeks,'' said the second-seeded Blake, who played in the Los Angeles Classic final last Sunday.

The 90th-ranked Querrey, beating a top-10 player for the first time, served nine aces -- including every point in his second and fourth service games in the second set and the first point of the sixth game.

''It was just one of those days, I was in the zone serving and it definitely paid off in the end,'' Querrey said. ''Beating a top 10 player is most important.'' There were no service breaks in the match, although Querrey had the one opportunity to break in the first set.

Querrey won the match on his second match point in the third set tiebreak with a forehand crosscourt volley.

The American was due to play third-seeded Dmitry Tursunov in his semi-final later on Saturday after the Russian had earlier beaten Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-1 6-4.

Top seed Andy Roddick, tournament winner in 2003 and 2004, faced Canadian Frank Dancevic in the other semi-final.

Nishikori, a 17-year-old amateur ranked 373 and playing in only his second tour level event, raced to a 4-1 lead in the second set but could not keep his momentum going.

Tursunov won the next five games and said: ''He's a much better player than I was expecting. The fact that he got to the third round says a lot and he's not a complete beginner.'' Nishikori has received a special exemption into next week's Washington D C tournament because he could not get there for qualifying.

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