French Players Win Casablanca Semis

Casablanca, Morocco -- Frenchmen Julien Benneteau and Gilles Simon were Friday's semifinal winners at the Prix Hassan II tennis tournament in Casablanca, Morocco.

The 26-year-old Benneteau, seeded fifth, topped clay-court specialist Agustin Calleri of Argentina by scores of 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.

Simon, who is unseeded, advanced in a walkover when another Frenchman, top-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, withdrew because of a right knee injury.

"This will be my first ATP final and I've won the only meeting with Gilles in Lyon last October," Benneteau said when discussing Saturday's all-French title match. "It's been a good week for me so far (and) French players like to play in Casablanca.

Simon will play in his fourth career final where his record is 2-1.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.