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Vikings' Asher Allen retires at age 24
SYDNEY, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- Julien Benneteau and Jarkko Nieminen each used straight-set wins Friday to earn spots in the finals of the Apia International tennis tournament in Sydney.
Benneteau defeated Marcos Baghdatis 6-4, 6-4 and Nieminen was a 7-6 (14-12), 6-3 victor over Denis Istomin. Saturday's final will be the fifth meeting between Benneteau and Nieminen, who won the previous four.
Nieminen is 1-10 in tournament finals, with his title coming in 2006 in New Zealand. He's lost in one final each of the last six years, including a defeat in the 2009 Sydney title match. Benneteau, like Nieminen a pro since 2000, is 0-5 in tournament title matches. Both reached the main Sydney draw through the qualifying round.
Benneteau hasn't lost a set this week. He kept that streak going in the first set Friday with three service breaks and capped the win over Baghdatis by converting his lone break opportunity in the second set while saving all five break points he faced.
Nieminen won the final three points of the long tiebreaker in taking the first set and lost only 10 points on serve and didn't allow Istomin a break point chance in the second.
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