Soderling keeps London ATP finals hopes alive in Sweden

The top-seeded world number ten, who stands ninth in the race for a spot in November's eight-man, season-ending tournament in London, came back from an early break down in the second set.

His success was in sharp contrast to German second seed Tommy Haas, who fell victim to flu, handing Finn Jarkko Nieminen a place in the last eight.

Soderling had a few problems against Seppi, failing on two set points in the opener and then forced to come back after trailing 3-1 in the second set.

The Swedish number one is trying to become the first home player since Mats Wilander in 1983 to win both Swedish ATP events in the same season, Bastad in the summer and Stockholm.

“It's great to play in front of a full house,” he said. “I'm the favorite and I have to go out and win the matches. Everyone is trying to beat me. I'm glad I came through.”

Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis reached his third quarter-final of the season with a 6-2, 6-2 defeat of American Robert Kendrick.

The 2006 Australian Open finalist's career has been plagued by injuries in recent years.

But after moving into a Friday clash with another ex-Melbourne runner-up in Frenchman Arnaud Clement, little can dim Baghdatis's renewed enthusiasm.

“I'm feeling fit which is the most important thing,” said world number 66 Baghdatis, who won a Challenger title last week in Tashkent.

“When you wake up in the morning and you don't feel any pain, it's easier to play good tennis. I'm having a good run now and enjoying myself on the court. I'm hungry to do well and I want to come back stronger than before.”

Baghdatis is making his Stockholm debut and began with a win over former number one Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Veteran qualifier Clement, ranked 138th, wore down Michael Berrer 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-1 in two and a half hours to go through at the Kungligahallen despite 12 aces off the German's racquet.

Nieminen moved ahead at the expense of second seed Haas who was forced to pull out of a tournament for the second time in a week.

The 31-year-old Haas retired after the first set of his Shanghai match against Rainer Schuettler with shoulder pain.

Nieminen, his ranking now down to 120 after spring wrist surgery, will play in the last eight against Belgian Oliver Rochus, who put out eighth seed Feliciano Lopez 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.

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