Ljubicic makes Lyon final

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:54

With Michael Llodra and Gilles Simon contesting the other semi-final, victory for Clement would have ensured a meeting of two home players for the title.

But powerful Croatian Ljubicic has been in imperious form, facing only two break points in the whole tournament, and kept up that record as he needed only an hour and 20 minutes to bury wildcard Clement.

The third seed served six aces and broke twice in a one-sided first set and, though the second was much more closely contested, he had enough in reserve to set up a meeting with Llodra.

The three sets in the later clash yielded just one break of serve as Simon, he second-seeded world number 12, also failed to force even a solitary break point.

He did manage to win the opening set, taking a tie-break 7-4, but Llodra hit back to level the match at 1-1.

And the unseeded wildcard hit 11 of his 24 aces in a final set which ended in a one-sided tie-break, Llodra wrapping up a 6-7 (4/7) 6-3 7-6 (7/1) win.

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