Tennis: Top seed Kafelnikov out of Qatar Open

Seventh seed Rainer Schuettler has knocked top-seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov out of the Qatar Open.

Schuettler won 7-5, 6-4 in a match that lasted 98 minutes.

It was the first time he had beaten Kafelnikov in four meetings. Schuettler is ranked 43rd.

World No 4 Kafelnikov said: "There are better players out there than him (Schuettler). I lost the match because I committed far too many errors, which allowed Schuettler back in the match, especially when I was leading 4-1 (in the first set). In any case, Schuettler plays well in Doha."

Schuettler said: "I always like coming to Doha. I have done well here in the past and this is one place where I feel my game can be seen at its best. Like I said at the start of the tournament, anybody can win here and not only the top seeds."

In the semi-final on Friday, Schuettler will meet sixth seed Younes Al Aynaoui, who handed a straight-set defeat to fourth seed Jiri Novak.

Earlier, fifth seed Bohdan Ulihrach became the first player to reach the semi-finals. He knocked out Fernando Vicente of Spain in straight sets. Ulihrach won 6-1, 6-1 in only 46 minutes on the court.

The 27-year-old Czech will now play another Spaniard, Felix Mantilla, in the other semi-final on Friday.