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Soderling mauls Monfils to reach Valencia semis

VALENCIA - Second seed Robin Soderling set up a semi-final against local favourite David Ferrer when he brushed aside Gael Monfils 6-3 6-2 to reach the last four of the Valencia Open on Friday.

The imposing Swedish world number five did not face a single break point against the Frenchman, who won last week’s tournament in Montpellier, and converted three of his four opportunities to break his opponent’s serve.

Fourth-seeded Ferrer, who is desperate for ranking points to clinch a spot at this month’s ATP World Tour finals in London, saw off unseeded Italian Potito Starace in the late match at the cathedral-like indoor Agora arena.

The Spaniard, who is based in Valencia and won the event in 2008, grabbed a crucial break in game 11 of a tight first set and broke again early in the second to come through 7-5 6-4.

“It was a tough match but I coped well with the physical challenge,” Ferrer, 28, said in a television interview.

“It’s going to be difficult against Robin tomorrow as he’s playing some magnificent tennis right now.”

Saturday’s other semi-final pits Monfils’s compatriot Gilles Simon against Spaniard Marcel Granollers.

Simon squeaked past Nikolay Davydenko of Russia 6-4 6-7 6-3 and Granollers overcame a poor first set to beat Argentine Juan Monaco, who knocked out top seed Andy Murray, 1-6 6-3 6-4.

Ferrer has a good chance of clinching one of the three remaining berths at the Nov. 21-28 Tour finals, for which Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Soderling have all qualified.

As of Friday, Tomas Berdych, Andy Roddick, Fernando Verdasco, Mikhail Youzhny and Juergen Melzer can still make it to London, with more ranking points available at the Paris Masters next week.