Guillermo Garcia-Lopez topples Benoit Paire in Casablanca

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The Frenchman - who returned to the court for the first time since the Australian Open on Thursday following a knee injury - fell to a 7-5 7-6 (7-4) loss to the eighth seed at the ATP 250 clay-court event in Casablanca.

It was the first time the Spaniard had defeated Paire in three career meetings, with the Frenchman dropping serve on five occasions on his way to defeat.

"I'm happy that I managed to win," said Garcia-Lopez. "Benoit is a tricky player and this is my first win against him. I got a bit nervous during the second set and the break at 5-5 was crucial."

Garcia-Lopez's reward is a last-four showdown with compatriot and qualifier Roberto Carballes Baena, who cruised past Russia's Andrey Kuznetsov 6-4 6-2 in one hour and 28 minutes.

Prior to this week, Carballes Baena had not won a match on the ATP World Tour.

Sixth seed Federico Delbonis continued his fine form on clay by defeating Romania's Victor Hanescu 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.

The Argentinian has climbed 12 places from world number 55 to 43 this year and now boasts 10 victories on clay in 2014.

Delbonis was particularly clinical on Hanescu's second serve as the 2010 runner-up won just six of 22 second-service points.

Awaiting Delbonis in the semi-finals in Spain's Marcel Granollers, who came from a set down to defeat compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-0.

Granollers made just a solitary semi-final appearance last season, though on that occasion he went on to win the Austria Open Kitzbuhel.

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