Gilles Simon upset Janko Tipsarevic 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the 2012 Thailand Open final where he will face countryman Richard Gasquet.
Gasquet defeated Jarkko Nieminen 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Simon broke the Serb in his first service game and then saved a break point in the 10th game before clinching the set. In the second set he broke for a 5-4 lead and never looked back.
"It was a very, very good match today and I couldn't have done better than that," said Simon. "Janko has been playing amazing tennis since last year; he is hitting hard and isn't losing a lot. I think I played the perfect match, but it will still close. It gives me confidence for the final."
The Finn was up a set and leading 4-0 and then 5-4 in the second set but was not able to close the match.
When serving for the match, Nieminen hit two straight double faults and a forehand error then allowed Gasquet to level the set at 5-5.
The Frenchman broke twice more in the decider and clinching the win when Nieminen's backhand sailed wide.
"At 3-6, 0-4 I thought I was losing," Gasquet said. "I thought he was better than me. I was hitting bad. Not in a good shape. But it's tennis, sometimes it can change."
"It's tough to say how I turned it around," said Gasquet. "I tried to fight. I was playing badly and was frustrated after the first set. He wasn't missing. At 0-4 [in the second set], I served well on the big points and he got tense. He double-faulted at 5-4, which was the key of the match, and in the third set I played better."
AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit
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