Roddick Leads American Charge Into Semi-Finals

Blake overcame an ankle injury to defeat fellow American Sam Querrey 7-6 6-3 and set up a showdown with Fish.

Top-seed Andy Roddick beat Tommy Haas 7-5 6-4 to lead a trio of Americans into the semi-finals of the San Jose Open on Friday.

The defending champion fired eight aces en route to the last four, where he was joined by compatriots James Blake and Mardy Fish.

Blake overcame an ankle injury to defeat fellow American Sam Querrey 7-6 6-3 and set up a showdown with Fish.

Fish eliminated second-seeded Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro 6-3 6-4.

Querrey blasted 14 aces past Blake in the first set but could not stop his third-seeded opponent from edging in front after taking the tiebreak 11-9.

Late in the match, Blake sprained his ankle but battled through the pain to secure the win.

"I just rolled it a little bit. I'll make sure to tape it and be ready for tomorrow," Blake told reporters. "It made me refocus and try to make my first serves.

"If you can make your first serves it's going to be a lot easier."

Fish was looking forward to facing Blake on Saturday.

"He just throws from the hip like nobody else, like Andre (Agassi) used to," said Fish, who has a 2-2 head-to-head record with his friend.

"He's (always) just cracking the ball with little margin for error, and he doesn't miss much at all.

"When he's got control of the points it's almost impossible to get it away."

Qualifier Todd Widom had a chance to make it an all-American last four after taking the first set against Czech fourth seed Radek Stepanek but was eventually walloped 5-7 6-0 6-0.

Stepanek will next face Roddick.

San Jose Open men's singles quarter-final RESULTS on Friday (prefix denotes seeding, * new
result):
* 4-Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) beat Todd Widom (U.S.) 5-7
6-0 6-0
1-Andy Roddick (U.S.) beat Tommy Haas (Germany) 7-5 6-4  
3-James Blake (U.S.) beat 6-Sam Querrey (U.S.) 7-6(9) 6-3
5-Mardy Fish (U.S.) beat 2-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina)
6-3 6-4