TENNIS in DEPTH.

Robin Soderling advanced to the Stockholm Open semi-finals with a 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 defeat of Guillermo Garcia-Lopez

The French Open runner-up shook off an early break by his Spanish opponent to triumph in the 10th quarter-final of his breakthrough season.

The world number 10, beaten in the final by Argentina’s David Nalbandian last year, is battling for one of two remaining places in the eight-man ATP World Finals in London next month and is currently ranked a provisional ninth behind Nikolay Davydenko and Fernando Verdasco.

Soderling can gain some ground this week and is next set to face Marcos Baghdatis after the Cypriot won a clash of two former Australian Open finalists with Arnaud Clement 6-4 6-4.

Brazilian Thomas Bellucci served up 18 aces to secure a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 win over Joachim Johansson to leave Soderling as the only remaining home hope.

Johansson put up a notable fight, almost matching Bellucci’s ace output with 13 of his own.

Bellucci’s previous quarter-final appearance earlier this year carried him on to lift the trophy at Gstaad, and the 21-year-old will contend for a spot in the final against Oliver Rochus after the Belgian beat Jarkko Nieminen 6-3 2-6 6-1.

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