Sydney, Australia – Frenchman Julien Benneteau defeated up Marcos Baghdatis in Friday's semifinals at the $434,250 Sydney International tennis event, a final Aussie Open tuneup. Saturday's other finalist will be Finnish veteran Jarkko Nieminen.
Baghdatis, coming off a big win over top-seeded Juan Martin del Potro, was broken four times by Benneteau en route to a 6-4, 6-4, setback on the hardcourts at Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre.
The 49th-ranked Benneteau will face the qualifier Nieminen on Saturday after the Finn posted a 7-6 (14-12), 6-3 victory over fellow qualifier Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan on Day 5.
Nieminen has won all four ATP meetings against his fellow 30-year-old Benneteau.
Benneteau is winless in five ATP finals, including a loss in Winston-Salem last year, while the world No. 77 Nieminen is 1-10 in his career finals, with his lone victory coming at the Aussie tuneup in Auckland back in 2006. He was the runner-up here in Sydney in 2009.
Saturday's winner will earn $78,360.
