LONDON — Andy Roddick stayed on track for his fifth title at Queen's Club by defeating Ivo Karlovic, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), yesterday to advance to the semifinals of the Aegon Championships.

In today's semifinals, Roddick will face James Blake, who downed Mikhail Youzhny, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Top-seeded Andy Murray lost just five points on his serve in beating American Mardy Fish, 7-5, 6-3. He will play Juan Carlos Ferrero, who reached his first career grass-court semifinal after beating Steve Darcis, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The second-seeded Roddick had 24 aces and Karlovic 26 in a match that featured few rallies and only two break points. Those came with Roddick leading 6-5 in the second set, but the Croat volleyed a winner on the first and hit a drop shot on the second.

"You're not going to get many chances, especially if he's making first serves," Roddick said. "Luckily, in the tiebreakers, I got a couple of looks at some second serves."

GERRY WEBER OPEN

HALLE, Germany — Second-seeded Novak Djokovic overwhelmed Jurgen Melzer, 6-1, 6-4, yesterday to reach the semifinals of the Gerry Weber Open.

Djokovic will next play qualifier Olivier Rochus of Belgium, who rallied past Benjamin Becker of Germany, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3.

Philipp Kohlschreiber, the runner-up last year, used 17 aces to down Andreas Beck, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. He will face veteran Tommy Haas, who won another all-German showdown by defeating Mischa Zverev, 7-6 (5), 6-2.

AEGON CLASSIC

BIRMINGHAM, England — Maria Sharapova reached her first semifinal in more than a year by defeating Yanina Wickmayer, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, yesterday at the Aegon Classic.

Sharapova next plays Li Na, a former Wimbledon quarterfinalist from China, who beat Stefanie Voegele, 6-3, 7-6 (3). The other semifinal will pit Magdalena Rybarikova against Sania Mirza.