Defending champion Tomas Berdych has advanced to the semi-finals of the Stockholm Open after a straight-sets victory over Grigor Dimitrov on Friday.

The top-seeded Berdych beat Bulgaria’s Dimitrov 7-5 6-4 in a repeat of last year’s final.

After edging the first set, Berdych broke for a 5-4 lead in the second.

The Czech saved one break point while serving for the match as he moved one step closer to reclaiming his title.

“My serve was working well today and in the tough moments I was able to help myself a lot with the serve,” Berdych said after landing 86 per cent of first serve points.

He next faces Marcos Baghdatis who needed three sets to overcome the eight-seeded Gilles Muller, 7-6 (5) 4-6 6-3.

Second-seeded Richard Gasquet came from one set down to down Jeremy Chardy 2-6 6-3 7-6 (4).

In an all-French quarter-final, it was the sixth-seeded Chardy who edged ahead before Gasquet responded in the second.

He broke Chardy twice to lead 5-1 in the second and before taking the decider with a trademark single-handed winner.

Gasquet next faces American Jack Sock who beat Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-2, 6-4.