Rotterdam, Feb 16: Julien Benneteau caused a major surprise in the quarter-finals of the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament here by beating top seed Roger Federer 6-3, 7-5.
Federer, the reigning champion in Rotterdam, was broken in his opening game, which proved to be a sign for a difficult match. In the second set, Frenchman Benneteau placed a decisive break on 6-5 to secure victory. Federer, currently number two of the world ranking, won the ATP tournament in Rotterdam in 2005 and 2012.
"I am glad I could finish it this way," Benneteau was quoted as saying by Xinhua. "This is a dream. Probably my best win ever."
In the semi-finals Saturday Benneteau, ranked 39th on the ATP World Ranking, will meet compatriot Gilles Simon.
The other semi-final will be between Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov and Argentinean Juan Martin Del Potro, who lost the final to Federer last year.
