BANGKOK (AP) Top-seeded Tomas Berdych and the in-form Gilles Simon of France will confront each other for the eighth time after both won their Thailand Open quarterfinals on Friday.
Fresh from helping the Czech Republic beat Argentina in the Davis Cup semifinals, Berdych beat Yen-hsun Lu of Taiwan 7-6 (7), 6-4 to maintain his record of never losing before the semifinals in Thailand. However, he also hasn't passed the semis in his two previous appearances.
"Sometimes, I was feeling like he was a Playstation," Berdych said of Lu. "He was there he was so fast. He hit so many winners."
Simon has a 5-2 record against Berydch, and said, "I just hope that I will beat him one more time."
Simon said he was off to receive treatment on his back after he needed court-side help from a trainer on his back after the first game of the third set against Igor Sisjling of the Netherlands.