Bangkok: 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 quarter-finals on Friday.
Fresh from helping the Czech Republic beat Argentina in the Davis Cup semi-finals, Berdych beat Yen-hsun Lu of Taiwan 7-6 (7), 6-4 to maintain his record of never losing before the semi-finals 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.
After prevailing 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, the third-seeded Simon said it was a close shave. "I felt like I could have lost the two sets I won and I could have won the one I lost," he said. "It was a good win."
Asked about the back injury, he said: "I have red lights everywhere. I felt the pain very quickly in the second game of the match. Then it was worse. I thought it would be hard to finish the match at this point but finally I was getting better. My back is not in great shape now but I hope I will be fine tomorrow."
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