The quarter-finals in the top half of the draw will be contested on Friday at the Brisbane International. In the evening session, top seed and World No. 7 Andy Roddick faces Richard Gasquet, a former Top 10 player himself. Gasquet won the pair's last meeting, a five-set thriller at Wimbledon in 2007, but Roddick owns an overall 2-1 lead in their head-to-head.

In the day quarter-final, No. 4 seed Tomas Berdych faces No. 8 seed Thomaz Bellucci in a first-time meeting. Although Berdych is the favourite by ranking, Bellucci had a breakthrough season in 2009, reaching the semi-finals or better three times - including winning his first ATP World Tour title on the clay courts of Gstaad.

On Thursday, No. 2 Radek Stepanek and third seed Gael Monfils set up the bottom half of the draw's semi-final clash.
 
FRIDAY QUARTER-FINAL HEAD-TO-HEADS – In Order of Play

Pat Rafter Arena
(4) Tomas Berdych (CZE) vs (8) Thomaz Bellucci (BRA)    First ATP Meeting
Other Meetings:
08 Prostejov CH (Czech Republic) Clay QF Thomaz Bellucci 6-4 6-2
09 Prostejov CH (Czech Republic) Clay R16 Tomas Berdych 6-3 2-6 7-5

Berdych FastFacts:
2009 Highlights:
W: Munich (d Youzhny); QF: Washington (l Isner); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati (l Nadal); Kuala Lumpur (l Soderling); Tokyo (l Youzhny)
2009 W-L: 36-26
2009 Titles: 1
Career Titles: 5
Date of Birth: September 17, 1985
South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking: 20

* Berdych, 24, the No. 2 player from the Czech Republic (after No. 12 Stepanek), is making his fourth tournament appearance (6-3 record) with his best result being the semi-finals in 2006 in Adelaide (l. to Malisse)...Last year lost in the second round to Kei Nishikori…This year he beat qualifier Nick Lindahl in the first round on Monday, 62 64, and Marcos Baghdatis 60 61 in the second round on Wednesday
* In 2009, the Monte-Carlo resident finished in the Top 20 for the fourth straight year (at No. 20), with a 36-26 match record and leading his country to its first Davis Cup final (l. to Spain 5-0) since 1980
* He captured his fifth career ATP World Tour title in Munich last May (d. Youzhny) and was a quarter-finalist in four other tournaments, including ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati (l. to Nadal)

Bellucci FastFacts:
2009 Highlights:
W: Gstaad (d Beck); F: Costa do Sauipe (l Robredo); SF: Stockholm (l O.Rochus)
2009 W-L: 21-18
2009 Titles: 1
Career Titles: 1
Date of Birth: December 30, 1987
South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking: 36

* Bellucci, 22, is making his tournament main draw debut…This week he has beaten Juan Ignacio Chela 63 36 61 in the first round Monday and Harel Levy 64 64 in the second round Wednesday
* The Sao Paulo resident is the top Brazilian on the ATP World Tour (next highest is No. 87 Marcos Daniel)
* He played his first 10 ATP World Tour main draws in 2008 (never won back-to-back matches) but in first full season on ATP World Tour last year reached quarter-finals or better three times, including winning first title at Gstaad (d. A. Beck in final), finishing runner-up at Costa do Sauipe (l. to Robredo) and another semi-final at Stockholm (l. to O. Rochus)…He is 3-0 lifetime in quarter-finals


(1) Andy Roddick (USA) vs Richard Gasquet (FRA) Roddick Leads 2-1
06 Vienna (Austria) Hard R16 Andy Roddick 6-7(5) 6-1 6-3
07 ATP Masters Series Indian Wells  Hard R16 Andy Roddick 7-6(3) 6-3
07 Wimbledon (Great Britain) Grass QF Richard Gasquet   4-6 4-6 7-6(2) 7-6(3) 8-6

Roddick FastFacts:
2009 Highlights:
W: Memphis (d Stepanek); F: Doha (l Murray); Wimbledon (l Federer); Washington (l Del Potro); SF: Australian Open (l Federer); San Jose (l Stepanek); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells (l Nadal); London / Queen's Club (l Blake); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Canada (l Del Potro); QF: ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami (l Federer); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid (l Federer)
2009 W-L: 48-15
2009 Titles: 1
Career Titles: 27
Date of Birth: August 30, 1982
South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking: 7

* Roddick, 27, the top American on the ATP World Tour, is making his tournament debut…So far this week he has beaten a pair of Aussies, Peter Luczak 76(5) 62 in the first round on Monday and wild card Carsten Ball 76(0) 62 in the second round on Wednesday
* This is his first ATP World Tour tournament since Oct. 13 when he retired with a left knee injury in the opening round of the ATP World Tour 1000 event in Shanghai
* Last season he compiled a 48-15 match record and finished in Top 10 for the eighth consecutive year (Federer is the only other active player to do so)…He also won his 27th career title in Memphis (d. Stepanek) to extend his title streak to nine consecutive years (joining Federer)

Gasquet FastFacts:
2009 Highlights:
SF: Brisbane (l Stepanek); Sydney (l Nalbandian); Dubai (l Ferrer); Metz (l Monfils); QF: Kuala Lumpur (l Verdasco); Basel (l Chiudinelli)
2009 W-L: 22-15
2009 Titles: 0
Career Titles: 5
Date of Birth: June 18, 1986
South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking: 52

* Gasquet, 23, is making his fourth tournament appearance (8-3 record)…He has done one round better every year, reaching the second round in Adelaide in 2002 (l. to Alberto Martin), the quarter-finals in Adelaide in 2007 (l. to Chris Guccione) and the semi-finals in 2009 (l. to Radek Stepanek)…Unseeded this year, he has beaten Jarkko Nieminen in the first round on Monday, 63 46 64, and qualifier Matthew Ebden in the second round on Wednesday, 63 64
* In 2009 he had a 22-15 match record, finishing outside Top 50 (at No. 52) for first time in five years
* He opened last year with back-to-back semi-final efforts in Brisbane and Sydney (l. to Nalbandian) and the third round at Australian Open...Also advanced to semi-finals in Dubai and Metz
* His last ATP World Tour title came in Mumbai on Sept. 30, 2007 (d. O. Rochus) and his last final came in Stuttgart in July 2008 (l. to del Potro)...Finished a year-end best No. 8 in 2007