Michael Llodra and Jarkko Nieminen advance to semifinals in France
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Michael Llodra of France and Jarkko Nieminen of Finland advanced Friday to the semifinals of the Open Sud de France.
Llodra had11 aces in a 7-6 (3), 6-1 win against Jan Hajek of the Czech Republic, clinching it with a volley at the net. Nieminen rallied to beat Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2), with both players dropping serve three times.
Llodra's semifinal opponent will be the winner of the all-French quarterfinal between fourth-seeded Gilles Simon and eighth-seeded Benoit Paire. Nieminen takes on either third-seeded Richard Gasquet or No. 6 Julien Benneteau.