Tennis
Soderling, Ferrer reach semis in Abu Dhabi
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-01 10:46
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ABU DHABI - Robin Soderling of Sweden and David Ferrer of Spain advanced to the semifinals of the season- opening Abu Dhabi invitational tournament on Thursday.
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 Sweden's Robin Soderling plays a shot against Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka at the Capitala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi December 31, 2009. [Agencies] |
Soderling outlasted Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2) and Ferrer rallied to beat sixth-ranked Nikolay Davydenko 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 at the Zayed Sports City.
Soderling will take on top-ranked Roger Federer in the semifinals Friday, while Ferrer faces No. 2 Rafael Nadal.
Federer and Nadal both had first-round byes in the six-player invitational tournament, which is not part of the ATP tour calendar.
Soderling, who is 0-12 against Federer in his career, took a 5- 1 lead in the first set before Wawrinka started returning better, but the Swede's booming serve proved decisive in both tiebreakers.
Davydenko, who won the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London last month, said he still felt the effects of a recent illness and struggled to maintain his concentration.
Davydenko still dominated the first set before losing his serve in the fourth and eighth games of the second as the Spaniard leveled the match.
Davydenko then broke Ferrer in the fifth game of the decider, but Ferrer tied it at 4-4 before breaking again to seal the match.
