By Field Level Media
Oct 24 (Field Level Media) – Third-seeded Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan rallied past fifth-seeded Russian Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) in Friday’s Almaty Open quarterfinals in Kazakhstan.
Bublik hammered 21 aces and finished with 49 winners in his first match of the tournament after advancing via a second-round walkover. Khachanov secured the only service break of the match in the opening set, but Bublik responded by winning both ensuing tiebreakers. He will face top-seeded Daniil Medvedev, who reached the semifinals with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over France’s Terence Atmane. Medvedev did not face a break point and won 91% of his first-serve points.
Seventh-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece also advanced in straight sets, defeating Australia’s James Duckworth 6-3, 6-4. Tsitsipas fired 15 aces, did not face a break point and won 34 of 37 first-serve points. He will meet qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili after the Georgian rolled past France’s Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-1.
BNP Paribas Fortis European Open
Top-seeded Arthur Fils of France fought off fifth-seeded American Alex Michelsen 6-4, 7-6 (12) to advance to the semifinals in Brussels.
Fils needed six match points to finally close out the 14-12 second-set tiebreaker. He won 79% of his first-serve points, recorded six aces and converted three of four break chances in the one-hour, 50-minute match. He will face Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff, who ended Belgium’s hopes of a home semifinalist by defeating No. 6 seed Zizou Bergs 6-3, 7-6 (6).
The Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor rallied to eliminate No. 2 Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Griekspoor converted three of four break points and overcame Lehecka’s 11 aces to reach his second semifinal of the season. He will play third-seeded Francisco Cerundolo after the Argentine dispatched French qualifier Clement Chidekh 6-2, 6-4.
Grand Prix Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
Second-seeded Taylor Fritz topped Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 7-6 (5), 6-2 to set up an all-American semifinal at the ATP 250 event in Lyon, France.
Fritz beat Altmaier for the first time in three career meetings. He will next face No. 4 seed Tommy Paul, who needed two hours, 45 minutes to subdue France’s Corentin Moutet 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Paul converted five of 10 break point chances and saved 10 of 14 opportunities.
Top-seeded Flavio Cobolli of Italy recovered from a set down to defeat fifth- seeded Brandon Nakashima 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Cobolli will meet countryman Lorenzo Musetti after the No. 6 seed survived another lengthy quarterfinal, edging France’s Luca Van Assche 7-6 (5), 6-7 (7), 6-4 in three hours, 33 minutes.
(–Field Level Media)
