Roddick sets up final clash with Monfils
(AFP)
Updated: 2005-10-30 16:36

Top seeded American Andy Roddick stayed on course to win his fifth title of 2005 when he beat French veteran Fabrice Santoro 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) to reach the final of the Lyon tournament.

US Andy Roddick returns a forehand to French Fabrice Santoro, during the Lyon Tennis Grand Prix' semi final in Lyon, central eastern France. Roddick won 6-4, 7-5.[AFP]

Roddick, the world number three, will face another French player Gael Monfils in Sunday's final.

Roddick broke the 32-year-old Santoro, the 1997 champion here, in the third game to lead 2-1 and held his advantage through to take the first set.

The American has yet to drop his serve here all week and showed no signs of losing that proud record in the second set which went to the tiebreak. Roddick went to 3-0 in the breaker before going onto to take the match.

Monfils put out compatriot Sebastien Grosjean 6-4, 7-5 to reach his third final of the year.

After losing the first set, Grosjean raced to a 4-1 lead in the second before allowing the 19-year-old to fightback to 4-3 and then 5-5.

Monfils then had the momentum and took the second set and the match with a confident finish.

"I didn't want to let him back into the match," said Monfils.

"At 1-4 down in the second set, I was perhaps a little less aggressive and he was able to hit his best shots. I felt a lot of pressure. There were a lot of long rallies but I think he felt it more."