Ruud, Gaston reach ATP Tour’s Swiss Open Gstaad semi-finals
GSTAAD: Frenchmanhugogastonsavedfourmatch points on Friday at the Swiss Open Gstaad to upset fourth-seeded Chilean Cristian Garin 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(11) to reach his first ATP Tour semi-final.
The 20-year-old twice fought back from a break down in the final set before he saved four match points at 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, and 10/11 in a mammoth tiebreak to advance in two hours and 20 minutes. He has now claimed 17 clay-court wins at all levels this season, having reached ATP Challenger Tour finals at the Concord Iasi Open and the Roma Garden Open I, according to ATP.
“I am very happy to be in my first (ATP Tour) semi-final,” Gaston said. “It was a great fight. It was a really long match. I always tried to play my game, and it is a good win for me. I hope I can continue like that.”
Gaston won 75 per cent (36/48) of his first-service points and used the drop shot to great effect throughout. The World No. 155, who was competing in his first tour-level quarter-final on Friday, becomes the youngest Gstaad semi-finalist since 2006, when a then 17-year-old Marin Cilic enjoyed a run to the last four.
He will next face seventh-seeded Serbian Laslo Djere ater he batled past Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4 to advance to his third ATP Tour semi-final of the season, reported by ATP.
Third-seeded Norwegian Capser Ruud also moved into the last four with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory over sixth seed Benoit Paire. The 22-year-old, who clinched his second ATP Tour title of the year at the Nordea Open (d. Coria) last week, hit 13 aces as he batled through in one hour and 50 minutes.
Ruud will compete in his 14th ATP Tour semifinal against Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva, who advanced to his first ater a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Swede Mikael Ymer.
ISNER SAILS: Second seed John Isner fired into his first ATP Tour semi-final for 18 months at the Mifel Open on Thursday night. The former World No. 8 struck 21 aces, and lost only 11 service points, in a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Alex Bolt of Australia in 67 minutes.