SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Top-seeded Tommy Haas came back to defeat Horacio Zeballos of Argentina 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 to advance to the Brazil Open semifinals on Friday. Emmanuel Sanders . Haas broke Zeballos serve twice in a row in the decisive set to close the match and take a step closer to his second final of the year. The 12th-ranked German lost to Marin Cilic in the final in Croatia earlier this month. Haas will next play Paolo Lorenzi of Italy, who reached his first ATP semifinal with an upset 7-6 (6), 6-7 (4), 6-4 win over fourth-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina. "Lorenzi has been around for a long time so this is a goal Im sure he has been waiting to achieve for a lifetime," Haas said. "He has nothing to lose and is going to try to go one more and get to his first ATP tour final. He is a dangerous player. Im going to have to try to play some of my best tennis." The 114th-ranked Lorenzi broke Monacos serve to go up 4-3 in the final set and held on to close the match in 2 hours, 34 minutes at the Ibirapuera Arena. The 32-year-old Italian squandered a match point before losing the second set, but was in control in the third to pick up the win in the ATP 250 tournament in South Americas biggest city. Lorenzi served 12 aces en route to his first pro semifinal after five career quarterfinal losses. "Im very happy to finally breakthrough to the semifinals," Lorenzi said. "Ive had a lot of opportunities before but was never able to come up with the victory at this stage. For sure this is one of my greatest weeks on the tour." The 43rd-ranked Monaco was trying to win his 200th clay-court match. He is the fifth-highest winner on the surface, behind Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, Tommy Robredo and Nicolas Almagro. Monaco had a set point in the first set but couldnt capitalize on it. "It was a very close match, he had his chances in the first set and I had mine in the second, it was very difficult," Lorenzi said. In another quarterfinal Friday, Federico Delbonis of Argentina easily beat Alberto Montanes of Spain 6-4, 6-3 in just over an hour. He will play either home-crowd favourite Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil or Martin Klizan of Slovakia. Defending champion Rafael Nadal is not playing at the clay-court tournament this year. He chose to play at the first edition of the Rio Open, which he won last week. Chris Harris . The 29-year-old Eaves has played in only three games with the Red Wings this season, averaging 9:14 of ice time after a knee injury in the preseason. Jacob Tamme . “Coaches never breathe easy,” said Randy Carlyle with a chuckle after his team pulled out an unlikely 5-2 win in Colorado.TORONTO - The Toronto Blue Jays are taking it slowly with ailing closer Casey Janssen. The 32-year-old right-hander has been dealing with a strain in his lower back and abdominal muscle. He was officially placed on the disabled list March 30 but has been essentially hampered by the injury since spring training. Manager John Gibbon said Janssen is going to throw a bullpen session "very soon." "Hes feeling better but something is still nagging him a little bit," Gibbons said before Friday nights game against the Boston Red Sox. Janssen will likely throw at least two bullpen sessions before another rehab assignment in the minors. "I dont see him back here in the next couple of weeks, to be honest with you," said Gibbons. The manager said while there has been no physical setback, Janssen is still not feeling 100 per cent. "Theres still something there thats holding him back a little bit," Gibbons said. &quoot;Psychologically he doesnt feel quite ready to cut loose because something is just nagging at him there, in his oblique.John Elway. " Janssen has seen action in just three games this season, working three innings with a 3.00 earned-run average. The hard-throwing reliever has already had one rehab assignment in the minors cut short after being told to take more time off. Sergio Santos has been operating as the Jays closer in Janssens absence, converting five-of-six save opportunities heading into play Friday. NOTES — First baseman Adam Lind is making progress with his lower-back tightness. Gibbons said Lind, who is on the disabled list, had started swinging the bat ... Gibbons also said the club is having Chad Jenkins operate as a reliever at triple-A Buffalo because thats where it believes he can best serve the major league club ... Reliever Aaron Loup has been dealing with a bug that has laid him low. ' ' '