Llodra shocks Soderling
Originally published on: 26/02/10 13:06
Last year’s runner-up had won only one match this season prior to this week but was in excellent form as he edged out the Swede 7-6 (7/2) 6-4 in a tight match.
World number eight Soderling was on a six-match winning streak after last week clinching his fifth ATP World Tour title in Rotterdam.
Llodra will fancy his chances of securing a repeat final appearance when he takes on unseeded German Mischa Zverev.
Zverev ended the run of French wild card Guillaume Rufin, but not without a fight, eventually coming through 7-5 6-7 (4/7) 6-3.
Defending champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had little trouble booking his last-four spot thanks to a 6-3 6-4 victory over Illya Marchenko.
The Frenchman, a semi-finalist at the Australian Open last month, said on www.atpworldtour.com: “I was happy that I won today even if I didn’t play well.
“I wanted to win too quickly, trying to avoid the rallies. I will need more patience in the semi-final.”
Tsonga was guaranteed to meet a countryman in the semi-finals and it was Julien Benneteau who came through, upsetting third seed Gael Monfils 6-3 7-5.
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