Top seeds Monfils and Ferrer beaten in South Africa

Monfils lost to Spain’s Feliciano Lopez 3-6 6-1 7-6 while  Ferrer bowed out 7-5 6-4 to Stephane Robert of France.

Top-seeded Frenchman Monfils breezed through the first set  in 21 minutes but was hampered by a knee injury in the second.

The final set went with serve until third seed Lopez, who  sent down 11 aces in the match, raced through the tiebreak 7-1  to send the world number 13 tumbling out.

Robert made use of a devastating backhand to overcome  second-seeded Spaniard Ferrer and reach his first ATP Tour  final.

The 29-year-old Frenchman, ranked 100th in the world, never  looked back after breaking serve in the opening game.

Ferrer saved three match points in the second set before  finally succumbing to the eighth seed.