Safin Stuns French Champ Gaudio at ATP Valencia

A former No. 1 is always a threat, and Marat Safin has never won the French Open, but the big Russian just leapt from curiosity to threat-level during the 2006 claycourt season with a 6-4, 6-4 dismissal of former Roland Garros champ Gaston Gaudio Friday at the ATP stop in Valencia.

Safin last won a clay title in 2000 when he was victorious at Barcelona and Mallorca, and has since lost four dirt finals for a 2-4 career record in claycourt finals.

"It could have gone the other way," Safin told AFP. "But I think I was more comfortable on the court and he made errors on some crucial points and that gave me the edge."

Spanish qualifier Nicolas Almagro will be the Russian's next challenge after he ousted No. 6 seed Filippo Volandri 6-4, 6-1.

Other winners into the semifinals were No. 7 seed Fernando Verdasco, who came back to beat Spaniard Guillermo "G-Lo" Garcia-Lopez from a set down, and France's Gilles Simon who edged Italian Andreas Seppi in two tiebreaks.

Saturday's semifinal match-up are (7) Verdasco vs. Simon, and (WC) Safin vs. (Q) Almago.