Robin Soderling plays surprise package Dmitry Tursunov for a place in the Marseille final.
Soderling is going for his third title of the season and the Swede seems odds on to achieve that after demolishing defending champion Michael Llodra 6-1, 6-4 on Friday. It was a world apart from their semi-final thriller at the Paris Masters in November when Soderling saved three match points before clinching it in a final set tiebreak. This time the top seed was simply clinical. Llodra could not handle the Soderling serve as the Swede fired down 13 aces.
“I returned really well, got the first break, and then broke him again," Soderling analyzed. "He got a little bit stressed because he serves well and is very used to getting fast points on his serve. You have to stay focussed because you know anytime soon he could start to serve aces again.”
Tursunov used to be ranked in the top twenty before being struck down by multiple ankle injuries and the big Russian is working his way back up to the top. After building up some form on the challenger circuit he has come alive this week and stunned fourth seed Jurgen Melzer 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 in the quarters.
However expect Soderling to prove too strong.
