7/17/10 6:11 AM | Ricky Dimon
Gael Monfils and Daniel Gimeno-Traver are set for a semifinal meeting in Stuttgart on Saturday. The winner will face either Juan Carlos Ferrero or Albert Montanes for the title.
Daniel Gimeno-Traver will be competing in his first career ATP semifinal when he goes up against Gael Monfils at the Mercedes Cup on Saturday. This is the first-ever meeting between the two players.
While Gimeno-Traver seems a bit out of place among fellow semifinalist Monfils, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and Albert Montanes, he has no reason to apologize for his run to the last four. The 88th-ranked Spaniard upset Jeremy Chardy in round one, stunned top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko to reach the quarters, then blasted Marco Chiudinelli 6-1, 6-3 on Friday.
Like Gimeno-Traver, Monfils played two straight three-setters to kick off his Stuttgart campaign. Following a first-round bye, the 17th-ranked Frenchman held off Pablo Andujar 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 and overcame Florian Mayer 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. Monfils is now a solid 22-11 for the season.
Monfils has always been a stellar clay-court performer, but this is the surface Gimeno-Traver would choose for such a match simply because he owns none of the power that Monfils can put on display. The underdog definitely has a chance given his current form, but Monfils is far more accustomed to this stage of ATP events and he should get the win in straight sets.
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