• Paris Masters

Federer fails to create history against Monfils

Gaels Monfils saved five match points © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Federer fit and firing as Soderling leaps to four
  
• News: Soderling to leapfrog Murray after Paris triumph
  
• Profile: Roger Federer | Michael Llodra | Gael Monfils | Robin Soderling

Roger Federer missed the opportunity to become the first man to reach all nine ATP World Tour Masters 1000 finals, losing to Gael Monfils in the semi-finals of the Paris Masters on Saturday.

Federer has won 17 Masters titles in his glittering career, requiring one more to equal Rafael Nadal's current tally. But on a platform where he has never previously reached the last four, the world No. 2 failed to take a step closer to his first Paris Masters crown against the in-form Monfils.

Monfils had proven too good for Andy Murray in the quarter-finals, buoyed by his recent triumph at the Open Sud de France, and he saved five match points en route to a 7-6(7) 6-7(1) 7-6(4) victory. In doing so, he sets up a Sunday final against No. 4 seed Robin Soderling.

Monfils was a beaten finalist in last year's tournament, losing to Novak Djokovic, and he looked determined to erase that memory, creating the only three break points of the first set against Federer. None were taken, but he got the better of the Swiss in the tiebreaker for a 1-0 advantage.

Federer had never lost to Monfils in five previous encounters, dropping just one set in that time, but that record was now under threat, as was his attempt to reach a 30th career Masters final. The former world No. 1's serve had remained impenetrable all week though, and he maintained that statistic to force the second tiebreaker of the match, which he dominated 7-1 to restore parity.

Federer then appeared to have delivered the most telling blow of the contest, registering the first break to lead 2-0 in the third, but he sent a forehand wide to hand Monfils a way back into the match. The momentum now seemed to be with the home favourite and, after Federer failed to capitalise on five match points, Monfils accepted his first in the deciding tiebreaker to clinch victory.

Monfils will meet Robin Soderling in the final after the Swede saved three match points before edging past Michael Llodra. Inspired by the French crowd, Llodra, who has claimed the scalps of three seeds on his way to the last four, was one point away from another upset, but Soderling clung on to claim a 6-7(0) 7-5 7-6(6) victory.

Llodra snatched the early advantage, emphatically winning a tiebreak after a tight opening set. After hanging onto his opening service game, Soderling snatched a break in the second and hung on to claw his way back into the match.

While Soderling laboured on every service game, Llodra chased everything and moved within a point of victory at 6-5 in the deciding set. But despite Llodra's aggressive net play, Soderling emerged victorious after nearly three hours on court.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.