ROTTERDAM: Robin Soderling carries an unblemished 3-0 record against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga into Sunday's final at the ATP Rotterdam Open after defeating the Frenchman in all three of their previous meetings. Top seeded Swede Soderling will be bidding for his second consecutive title at the Ahoy stadium as he faces Tsonga after reaching the final through a 7-5, 6-4 defeat of Serbian Viktor Troicki. The eighth-seeded Tsonga will play his first final in 16 months since Tokyo in late 2009 after putting out Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 7-6 (8-6). Soderling, losing finalist at the last two editions at Roland Garros, takes aim at a second trophy in as many months after starting 2011 with a title in Brisbane. Clijsters to meet Kvitova New world number one Kim Clijsters produced a patchy display to overcome Estonia's Kaia Kanepi 6-1 7-5 in the Paris Open Saturday and set up a final with fourth-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova. The Belgian, who made sure she would leapfrog Dane Caroline Wozniacki in the rankings Monday by reaching the last four, was short of her best form but still too good for the inconsistent third seed. Watched by her daughter among an almost capacity crowd at the intimate Stade Coubertin hardcourt arena, Clijsters stayed on course for her second title. Kvitova earlier reeled off a succession of superb winners to crush American Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-2, 6-0 and meets Clijsters in Sunday's final in confident mood. Del Potro vs. Verdasco In a match-up of former Grand Slam champions, Juan Martin del Potro notched a convincing 6-2, 6-3 victory over Lleyton Hewitt Friday to reach the semifinals of the ATP Tour's SAP Open. Del Potro next plays defending champion and top-seed Fernando Verdasco of Spain, who beat fifth-seeded Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 6-4, 6-4. Earlier, up-and-coming Milos Raonic reached the first ATP Tour semifinal of his career, booking a clash with second-seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils. Canada's Raonic defeated young Lithuanian Richard Berankis 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) while Monfils defeated US wild card Tim Smyczek 6-4, 7-6 (8/6). Zvonareva ousted Daniela Hantuchova put paid to Vera Zvonareva's hopes of a third successive Pattaya Open title with an eventful 7-6, 6-4 semifinal win Saturday over the fiery world No. 3. Hantuchova prevailed in a tight match of extremes, from bland slugging stalemates to thrilling cross-court rallies and heated protests from the top seed and twice champion who refused to play at one stage. Zvonareva was on the wrong side of a series of contentious line calls and the Russian spent much of the match mumbling angrily to herself or shouting and gesticulating at the umpire. The Russian was penalized for improper conduct, which put Hantuchova at match point. Zvonareva refused to play and demanded the referee intervene after questioning the umpire, who said she had read her lips and detected abusive language. “I didn't agree with that. I talked to myself – in Russian. I don't think she can understand that,” she told reporters. Hantuchova will play eighth seed Sara Errani after her 6-1, 6-4 win in an all-Italian semifinal with Roberta Vinci. Almagro-Dolgopolov final Top-seeded Nicolas Almagro of Spain will face Alexandr Dolgopolov in Saturday's final of the Brazil Open. Almagro bounced back from a lopsided first set to beat Juan Ignacio Chela 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 Friday and reach the final. Dolgopolov of Ukraine reached his first ATP final with a 59-minute victory over Ricardo Mello of Brazil 6-2, 6
