Montpellier - Jarkko Nieminen of Finland beat fifth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 7-6 (10/8) in the second round of the Open Sud de France on Wednesday, defeating the Russian for the first time in 10 years and reaching his second quarterfinal of the season.
Davydenko had won their previous four matches, with Nieminen's last win coming on clay at the Rome Masters in 2003. He broke Davydenko's serve three times in the match.
In other first-round matches, sixth-seeded Julien Benneteau of France led 6-3, 4-2 when Romania's Adrian Ungur retired with a thigh injury. Benneteau plays another Romanian, Victor Hanescu, in the second round.
Seventh-seeded Viktor Troicki of Serbia beat Lucas Pouille of France 6-4, 7-5 and next plays Jan Hajek. Qualifier Arnau Brugues-Davi of Spain beat Mikhail Kukushkin 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/3).
Results on Wednesday from the Open Sud de France at Park & Suites Arena (seedings in parentheses):
Men's Singles
Second Round
Jarkko Nieminen, Finland, def. Nikolay Davydenko (5), Russia, 6-3, 7-6 (10/8).
First Round
Julien Benneteau (6), France, def. Adrian Ungur, Romania, 6-3, 4-2, retired.
Viktor Troicki (7), Serbia, def. Lucas Pouille, France, 6-4, 7-5.
Arnau Brugues-Davi, Spain, def. Mikhail Kukushkin, Kazakhstan, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/3).
Michael Llodra, France, def. Kenny De Schepper, France, 6-3, 6-3.
Tatsuma Ito, Japan, def. Edouard Roger-Vasselin, France, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5.