Top-seeded Bautista-Agut reaches semifinals at Sofia Open

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) Top-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut advanced to the semifinals of the Sofia Open by beating eighth-seeded Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 6-3 Friday.

Bautista Agut won 77 percent of his service points and converted two of his five break points.

''It is never easy to start a tournament in the quarterfinals, especially when your opponent has played two matches,'' said Bautista Agut, who had a bye in the first round and advanced with a walkover in the second.

The Spaniard will next face sixth-seeded Gilles Muller of Luxembourg. Muller had 14 aces as he rallied from a 5-2 deficit in the first set to beat third-seeded Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-6 (6), 6-4.