Sydney - Flying Finn Jarkko Nieminen stunned Novak Djokovic on the eve of the Australian Open, hammering the top seed out of the Medibank International warm-up event 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) on Friday.

The 40th-ranked Niemimen, who secured a walkover the day before when 2008 Melbourne finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga withdrew from their quarter-final with a back injury, will face Argentine David Nalbandian for the title on Saturday.

The South American fourth seed defeated Richard Gasquet, with the Frenchman scoring a points on a spectacular between-the-legs winner on the way out, 6-4, 6-3.

Nieminen, the man from the north, owns one ATP title, which he also lifted in the Southern hemisphere in Auckland in January, 2006.

Djokovic, out in the first round a week ago in Brisbane, took a wild card into Sydney in order to get matches prior to the start of his first Grand Slam title defence.

But it was frustration at every turn for the 21-year-old Serb when he met up with Nieminen, whom he had beaten in their previous pair of matches.

The Finn earned the opening set in 47 minutes through a break in the ninth game for 5-4, claiming the opener a game later as Djokovic said a forehand return long.

The second stayed on serve, with Nieminen dominating in the tiebreaker to move into the final, his second at the ATP level.

Djokovic will have to lift before Monday's start of the first major of the season, which he won in a surprise last year.

Nalbandian clocked his seventh win without a loss against Gasquet, now ranked 25th after standing inside the Top 10 last season.

The Argentine who last played in the Davis Cup finals loss to Spain in November, is keen to win his second title in as many months of ATP play after winning Stockholm in October.

"I don't think I served good all during the match," he said. "I did on the important points, but I have to improve it.

"The conditions were good, there was a little heat, but it was almost perfect." (dpa)