Mark Philippoussis's encouraging return to form came to an end when he was beaten 7-6 6-7 6-3 by defending champion Michael Llodra in the semi-finals of the Ordina Open.

The Australian wildcard, who has slipped to 188 in the rankings after a series of injuries, dropped his serve just once, in the third set, and the left-handed Llodra took advantage to reach his first singles final of the year.

The unseeded Frenchman will now meet third seed Mario Ancic of Croatia, a semi-finalist at Wimbledon last year, who beat unseeded Czech Jan Hernych 6-4 6-4.

"I think I need to have a word with the Federation and get them to have more tournaments in Holland," Llodra said.

Before the event, Llodra had not won a singles match since March when he reached the third round at the Masters Series in Indian Wells.

Seven consecutive first-round defeats since then hit his confidence so hard he even considered not coming to defend his Den Bosch title.

The Frenchman said: "It's hard to be positive when you don't have any confidence, but I decided to come, and after I won my first round, 7-6 in the third, I have been playing better every day.

"I think if I'd played Mark in the first round I wouldn't have been able to win, but I am very happy to be in another final."

For Philippoussis, who had played just seven matches in 2005 before arriving in the Netherlands, it was his best performance since he won the title in Shanghai in September 2003.

"Obviously I am disappointed. I just didn't make him play at all," he said, after he was out-aced 15-12 by the Frenchman.

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