Tomas Etcheverry continues to fuel your confidence in the face of Roland Garros by dint of victories. The man from La Plata, 29th in the ranking, got into the top four of the team this Thursday. ATP 250 in Lyon by defeating the German 6-4 and 6-1 Dominik Koepfer67th, and will play for the third time this season – and for the sixth time in his career – the semifinals of a tournament on the most important men’s tennis circuit.
In a match that was a tough battle – although perhaps the final score did not reflect it that way – the Argentine, sixth seed, had to endure the constant pressure that his rival exerted on his serve. The German, who showed competitive and aggressive tennis, had 15 break points throughout the match (nine in the first set and six in the second). But he was barely able to achieve one (in the opening chapter), because Etcheverry became strong in the most complicated moments.
The player from La Plata finally needed one hour and 40 minutes to seal the victory, after getting a break in the sixth game of the second set to go 5-1 and give himself the chance to close the match with his serve.
“It was a great battle. Dominik is playing at a high level. He reached the third round in Rome, so he is playing very well on clay. I am very happy to get the victory and we are going to continue with this level,” commented the Argentinian.
Etcheverry, 24, has already played two semifinals at the ATP level this year, both on clay. In Houstonwhere he lost with Ben Shelton in three sets; and in Barcelonawhere he said goodbye before Casper Ruud.
Last year, he had also reached that stage in Santiago (he defeated Sebastián Báez and lost the final with Jarry); in Houston (he beat Hanfmann and lost in the title duel with Tiafoe); and in Kitzbuhel (he couldn’t beat Báez).
This Friday, not before 9.30, he will face the Italian/Argentine Luciano Darderichampion in February in Córdoba, in search of a new final.
The man from La Plata wants to win his first title at the ATP level, but also add rhythm and refine his game ahead of Roland Garros, where last year he was the great revelation by reaching the quarterfinals. In the “big” French he will debut against the local team Arthur Cazaux77th in the world, and in the third round he could meet Ruud, seventh favorite.
Báez, eliminated in Geneva
Sebastian Baez put up a fight in their quarterfinal match of the ATP 250 of Genevabut it was not enough to defeat the Norwegian Casper Ruudsecond favorite, who beat him 6-3, 3-6 and 6-4 and advanced to the semis.
With one set apiece, they reached a final set that was full of suspense. Ruud, champion in Barcelona and finalist in Montecarlo On the European tour of slow courts, they took a 2-0 lead and were up 4-2. But then four games followed in which neither could hold serve. In the ninth game, when the Norwegian was serving for the match, Báez broke to love (it was his second break in the set) and kept his hopes alive. But he could not avoid a new blow from the world number seven, who once again stole his serve and sealed the victory.
“It was a very even match in the end, back and forth, back and forth,” acknowledged Ruud, who will now go against the Italian Flavio Cobolli56°.
Beyond the defeat, Báez, 20th in the world and the best ranked Argentine, will still arrive with good feelings at the Parisian Grand Slam, since he is the player with the most clay court victories of the year (19-7 record) and he conquered this season the titles in Rio de Janeiro y Santiago de Chile.
The other Geneva semi-final will feature the Serbian Novak Djokovicwho defeated the Dutchman 7-5 and 6-1 Tallon Greek track, sixth seed. The world number one, who accepted a special invitation to play in the tournament, will go to the decisive stage against the Czech Tomas Machac44th, who won 6-3 and 7-6 (7-2) against the American Alex Michelsen.
2024-05-23 21:05:45
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