Richard Gasquet's run at the Open de Moselle in Metz was ended at the semi-final stage by fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils.
Gasquet, a former top-10 star, is attempting to climb back up the rankings after missing four months of the season successfully fighting a suspension following a positive test for cocaine.
The 23-year-old, now down at 47 in the world, registered his first ATP Tour wins since April in reaching the last four but found top seed Monfils too strong to! day, going down 6-4 6-3.
Monfils, who is looking for his first title of the season, will face German second seed Philipp Kohlschreiber in the final after he prevented Paul-Henri Mathieu making it an all-French affair.
Kohlschreiber took the first set on the tie-break against the third seed before claiming the only break of serve in the second to edge a tight match 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.
Monfils and Kohlschreiber have met once before, with the Frenchman coming out on top in a deciding tie-break in Vienna last year.
