MUNICH, Germany (AFP) - Top seed Paul-Henri Mathieu suffered an upset on Saturday as Italy's Simone Bolelli booked his place in Sunday's final with a dramatic win after a three-hour marathon battle.

The 22-year-old Italian, ranked 58th in the world, won a dramatic last set tie-break after three hours and five minutes to take the match 7-6 (7/1), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4).

The first two sets took just under two hours to play and although Frenchman Mathieu rallied to take the second set, Bolelli held his nerve.

The Italian will now play second-seed Fernando Gonzalez in the final after the Chilean came from behind to beat brave qualifier Younes El Aynaoui from Morocco.

Having qualified for the event, 36-year-old El Aynaoui, who won the 2002 tournament, was the oldest player to reach an ATP semi since Jimmy Connors, who was 40 when he managed the same feat in 1993.

The Moroccan, ranked 295th in the world, took the first set 6-3, but Gonzalez, 15th on the ATP rankings, rallied and won the next two sets 6-4, 6-3 to claim victory in 1 hour 52 minutes.