Mumbai Open: Rochus enters final

Mumbai:

Belgian eighth seed Olivier Rochus stopped giant-slayer and former top-10 Rainer Schuettler in straight sets to advance to his first ATP final this year in the $4,16,000 Kingfisher Airlines Mumbai Tennis Open.

The 26-year-old Rochus, ranked 66th in the World, ousted his 143rd-ranked German rival and conqueror of second-seeded two-time Grand Slam winner Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) in the quarter final on Saturday, 6-4, 6-4 to enter the title-clash.

Rochus awaits the winner of the second all-French semi-final between top seeded world no 14 Richard Gasquet and veteran Fabrice Santoro, the fifth seed, in the final on Sunday.

Rochus, who rallied from a break down in the first set to break his rival twice in the fifth and seventh sets, recorded an early break in the second and held on to his advantage to turnout comfortable winner and take his head-to-head record
against the 31-year-old Schuettler to 2-0.