Berdych easily beats Simon to set up final against Wawrinka

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) Defending champion Tomas Berdych took less than an hour to beat Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-2, 6-1 Saturday and reach the final of the

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) Defending champion Tomas Berdych took less than an hour to beat Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-2, 6-1 Saturday and reach the final of the World Tennis Tournament, where he will bid for his 11th career title against Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka.

The fourth-seeded Wawrinka beat second-seeded Milos Raonic of Canada 7-6 (3), 7-6 (7).

Earlier, the third-seeded Berdych won 95 percent of first service points, hit 14 winners and converted four of five break-point chances.

''My game was good and the game plan was even better,'' said Berdych, who is 4-6 overall against Simon. ''We have worked really hard on my serve. I was able to control it.''

Wawrinka, the 2013 Australian Open champion, is chasing his ninth career title. He saved two set points at 4-6 in the second set tiebreaker.