Top seed Andrey Rublev of Russia succumbed to fourth-seeded Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (6), 6-4 Friday to bow out in the semifinals of the Plava Laguna Croatia Open in Umag, Croatia.
Cerundolo saved five of six break points and controlled point stats, racking up more winners (25-16), service points (53-45) and return points (29-26). The Argentinian, ranked No. 37 in the world, also won 12-9 on first serve return points and earned more points on second serves, 19-14.
That sets up a final with Lorenzo Musetti of Italy, who defeated Jakub Mensik of Czechia 6-4, 6-1. Musetti, ranked No. 17 in the world, held a 60 per cent to 44 per cent edge on first serve percentage and won five of nine return games (as opposed to Mensik’s one of eight).
Generali Open
Italy’s Matteo Berrettini dispatched Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the championship match in Kitzbuhel, Austria.
Berrettini, ranked 50th, dominated on aces 11-2 and managed to convert two of eight break points while watching Hanfmann commit 13 unforced errors in the loss.
Hugo Gaston of France joins Berrettini in the final after defeating Argentina’s Facundo Diaz Acosta 6-1, 2-0. Gaston won 12 of 14 first serve points and six of eight second serves. Acosta had appeared hobbled by a thigh injury before eventually retiring.
Atlanta Open
In the longest match in tournament history, fourth-seeded Jordan Thompson of Australia outlasted fifth-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-3 to reach the semifinals at Atlanta.
The marathon quarterfinal lasted 3 hours, 3 minutes in the midday heat. Thompson prevailed behind a 21-4 edge in aces, while Davidovich Fokina committed the match’s only five double faults.
Next up for Thompson will be Chinese qualifier Juncheng Shang, who advanced to his second career semifinal by defeating eighth-seeded Max Purcell of Australia 7-6 (3), 6-4.
The other semifinal will feature Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka, who upset third-seeded Frances Tiafoe of the United States 7-6 (2), 6-2, and France’s Arthur Rinderknech, who beat Italy’s Mattia Bellucci 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-1 in a match that ended after 1 a.m. local time.
-Field Level Media
