Gonzalez downs Safin in Munich

Second seed Gonzalez needed 1hr 30min to come through a 6-3 7-5 winner against Safin , who was playing his first ATP quarter-final since August 2007, at the Munich Open.
It is the fifth straight victory for the 27-year-old from Santiago against his Russian opponent in seven meetings.

Gonzalez explained why he missed the glamorous Monte Carlo event last week to concentrate his fire on this week's action.

"I didn't feel too well last week so I missed Monte Carlo and it proved a good decision as I am playing very well this week," he revealed.

Gonzalez, ranked 15, and winner this year of the Vina del Mar tournament on clay, will next meet Morocco's Younes El Aynaoui who beat Argentinian Juan Martin del Potro 6-, 6-4 in their quarter-final.

El Aynaoui, who won the 2002 edition, became at 36 the oldest player to reach an ATP semi since Jimmy Connors, who was 40 when he managed that in 1993.

Mathieu, the world number 18, took two hours to get past Croatian Marin Cilic, ranked 50.

The first set was plain sailing for the Frenchman but Cilic dug in and won the second 6-4 before Mathieu cranked up his serve a notch to take the decider 6-3.

Mathieu now faces Simone Bolelli, ranked 58 and who ousted South Korean Lee Hyung-taik 6-4 7-6 (3).