Gasquet Downs Simon; Sets Up Soderling Clash

Frenchman Richard Gasquet charged into the semifinals of the Red Letter Days Open by dismissing countryman Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-1 on Thursday. The 20 year-old star, who is undefeated in this event (8-0), improved to 10-13 in 2006 and advanced to the semifinals of an ATP event for the first time since he claimed the Nottingham title last season.

Gasquet fired three aces and broke Simon in five of nine opportunities to win their first career meeting. Gasquet will next meet Robin Soderling, who overcame Janko Tipsarevic 7-6(4), 6-4.

The 21-year-old Swede, a finalist in Memphis (l. Haas), posted his fifth grass court win in 2006. Last week, in Halle, Soderling reached the quarterfinals before falling to Tommy Haas. The hard-hitting Monte-Carlo resident never faced Gasquet in ATP level events, although he defeated the Frenchman twice in Challenger events in 2003 (Zagreb and Besancon).

Andreas Seppi advanced to his second ATP semifinal of the season by posting a 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-1 win over wild card Andy Murray in two hours, nine minutes. The Italian, a semifinalist at Sydney, will next battle the winner of Jonas Bjorkman and Feliciano Lopez.
-- ATP