Resurgent Wawrinka sets up semi-final against Kei Nishikori
ROTTERDAM: Stan Wawrinka, seeking his first title since undergoing two knee surgeries in 2017, subdued Canadian 10th seed Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 7-6(4) on Friday to set up an intriguing semi-final with top seed Kei Nishikori at the World Tennis Tournament.
The Swiss wildcard broke for a 5-4 lead in the opening set and sealed the win in a well mastered tiebreak.
“Physically I feel really good, and I’m moving and feeling better match after match,” said Wawrinka.
“Tonight was a tough match. I had to really fight at the end. I was a bit nervous at the end of the match. We had some long rallies. It’s good to see that I can keep being there, mentally, physically.”
Nishikori took a step closer to claiming his second title of the year by defeating Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 6-2.
Russian fifth seed Daniil Medvedev dismantled Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-2.
He will face another Frenchman in Gael Monfils, who beat Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-2.
ISNER REACHES LAST 4
LOS ANGELES: Top seeded John Isner was one of three Americans to reach the semi-finals of the ATP New York Open with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Australian seventh seed Jordan Thompson on Friday.
Isner will now face compatriot Reilly Opelka, who defeated Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3, 6-4.
It will be a rematch from the Australian Open, when Opelka defeated Isner in four sets.
The other semi-final will see Sam Querrey square off against Canadian Brayden Schnur.
Querrey defeated Jason Jung 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 and Schnur rallied to beat Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi 6-7(7), 7-6(5), 7-5.
THIEM ADVANCES
BUENOSAIRES: Top seeded defending champion Dominic Thiem of Austria advanced to the Argentina Open semi-finals on Friday, beating Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
World number eight Thiem, who reached the French Open summit clash last year, will take on fourth seeded home favourite Diego Schwartzman on Saturday. Schwartzman beat Spaniard Albert Ramos Vinolas 6-1, 7-5.
In the other quarter-finals, third seeded Marco Cecchinato of Italy beat Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena 7-6(3), 6-4, and Argentina’s Guido Pella topped Spaniard Jaume Munar 6-7 (3), 7-6 (9), 6-1.