Fri Oct 10 16:23:35 2008

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Nalbandian charges into Stockholm semis

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Stockholm, Sweden (Sports Network) - Top-seeded Argentine David Nalbandian moved into Saturday's semifinals, while ailing second-seeded Croat Mario Ancic pulled out of the $980,000 Stockholm Open on Friday.

The former Wimbledon runner-up and Tennis Masters Cup champion Nalbandian handled seventh-seeded Spaniard Albert Montanes 6-4, 6-1, while Ancic decided against playing Japanese wild card Kei Nishikori on Day 5, citing a bout with acute bronchitis.

In addition to Nalbandian, two of this week's other top-four seeds will compete in Saturday's final four, as third-seeded Finn Jarkko Nieminen dropped Spaniard Oscar Hernandez 6-1, 6-4 and fourth-seeded Swedish favorite Robin Soderling subdued fifth-seeded German Rainer Schuettler 6-2, 7-5 on the indoor hardcourt at Royal Tennis Hall.

The semis will pit Nalbandian against the two-time Stockholm runner-up Nieminen and Soderling versus the teenage Nishikori. Nieminen reached finals here in 2001 and 2006.