Monfils into the final

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MONTPELLIER, France -- Defending champion Gael Monfils saved a match point and beat Gilles Simon 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4 in an all-French match to reach the final of the Open Sud de France.

Monfils, seeded third, will play in his second final this season after reaching the Qatar Open final last month. In the other semifinal, Tomas Berdych faces Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Monfils whipped a forehand winner to break for a 2-1 lead in the first set. But Simon, seeded second, broke back in the sixth game with a backhand return winner. Simon put Monfils under pressure at 5-4 and took the first set when Monfils netted a forehand.

Monfils saved eight break points in the second set, including a match point at 6-5, to force a tiebreaker. He evened the match at one set apiece on a forehand error by Simon.