<p>The Swedish world number eight has not dropped a set all week on the Catalan clay and will play unseeded Thiemo de Bakker for a place in Sunday's final. Dutchman De Bakker, a former junior world number one, took his first top-10 scalp when he upset third-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in a match briefly interrupted by rain. <br /><br />The 21-year-old ignored the partisan support from local fans for the flamboyant Tsonga and sealed victory when the erratic world number 10 went long with a forehand return. <br /><br />Second seed Soderling saved the only break point he faced against 59th-ranked Schwank, converting three of his four chances, and said he felt his form on the red dust was even better this year than last. <br /><br />Spanish players continued their impressive performance on clay this year when Fernando Verdasco and David Ferrer advanced to the last four. <br /><br />Fifth seed Verdasco edged out Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 6-2, 7-6 and will play Ferrer on Saturday after the eighth seed thumped Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci 6-4, 6-0.</p>
<p>The Swedish world number eight has not dropped a set all week on the Catalan clay and will play unseeded Thiemo de Bakker for a place in Sunday's final. Dutchman De Bakker, a former junior world number one, took his first top-10 scalp when he upset third-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in a match briefly interrupted by rain. <br /><br />The 21-year-old ignored the partisan support from local fans for the flamboyant Tsonga and sealed victory when the erratic world number 10 went long with a forehand return. <br /><br />Second seed Soderling saved the only break point he faced against 59th-ranked Schwank, converting three of his four chances, and said he felt his form on the red dust was even better this year than last. <br /><br />Spanish players continued their impressive performance on clay this year when Fernando Verdasco and David Ferrer advanced to the last four. <br /><br />Fifth seed Verdasco edged out Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 6-2, 7-6 and will play Ferrer on Saturday after the eighth seed thumped Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci 6-4, 6-0.</p>
