BRISBANE, Australia -- Top-seeded 2010 French Open runner-up Robin Soderling moved into the semifinals at the season-opening Brisbane International tennis event with an easy win over Aussie qualifier Matthew Ebden on Friday.
The Swedish Soderling cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Ebden in 71 minutes on the hardcourts at Queensland Tennis Centre. The Swede smacked nine aces and did not allow even one break-point opportunity in the predictable bout.
Soderling will meet 2009 Brisbane champion and 2010 runner-up Radek Stepanek in Saturday's semifinals. The tough Stepanek posted an easy 6-3, 6-3 upset victory over seventh-seeded German Florian Mayer in Friday's other quarterfinal.
The two-time French Open finalist Soderling is 4-2 lifetime against Stepanek, who upset the big Swede in their last meeting, a quarterfinal matchup here in Brisbane two years ago.
Saturday's other semi will pit second-seeded and defending champion Andy Roddick against South African Kevin Anderson. Roddick handled Stepanek in last year's Brisbane finale.
The former world No. 1 Roddick and Anderson have never faced each other.
The winner of this $474,050 tournament will collect $73,000.
