TENNIS – Andy Murray and David Ferrer have advanced to the semifinals of the ERSTE Bank ATP Tournament i Vienna boosting their chances to qualify for the ATP Finals in London. Diego Sampaolo
Murray broke serve twice en route to clinching the opening set against German Lennard Struff with 6-2. In the second set the Scotsman faced a tougher challenge when he rallied from a 1-3 deficit by breaking back. He got another break to take a 6-5 lead before clinching the second set with 7-5 with an ace on his second serve. Murray set up a semifinal clash against Viktor Troicki who battled past Brazilian Thomas Bellucci in three sets with 7-6(4) 6-7(2) 6-2. Troicki fended off two set points at 6-5 in the first set. Troicki lost the second set after leading by a break but he dropped just three points on serve to clinch the third set.
“I had to play well and fight to get through. My game was more consistent than in the previous round against Vasek Pospisil. I had not so many mistakes from the back of the court”, said Murray.
David Ferrer, who is currently ranked ninth ahead of Murray in the ATP Race to London, beat World Number 29 Ivo Karlovic 7-6(5) 6-4. Ferrer converted his first break point to take a 3-1 lead in the second set before serving out with his fifth ace. The Spaniard will face German Phillip Kohlschreiber who won the all-German Benjamin Becker 6-4 7-6(4). Kohlschreiber led 5-1 in the first set but Becker reeled off three consecutive games to claw his way back. Kohlschreiber converted his first point to take the first set. In the second set Becker rallied from 2-4 but Kohlschreiber clinched the win at the tie-break.
IF Stockholm Open ATP 250
The two other players in contention for a spot in the ATP Finals Grigor Dimitrov and Tomas Berdych advanced to semifinals of the IF Stockholm Open. Stockholm defending champion Dimitrov fought back from a set down to battle past US Jack Sock with 5-7 6-4 6-3 to set up a semifinal against Bernard Tomic. Dimitrov was broken in the eleventh game of the first set but he got one break in both the second and the third set to take a hard-fought win. After two long games in the second set (11 points in the first game and 12 points in the second game) Dimitrov got the decisive break to draw level on sets forcing the match to the third set. Dimitrov highlighted the second set with two consecutive spectacular hot shots between his legs. (watch the video here)
Tomic, who won just two matches in his previous tournaments since his title in Bogotá, rallied from losing the first set with a bagel to battle past Fernando Verdasco 0-6 6-4 7-6(6)
Berdych converted four of his nine break points to cruise past Marius Copil with a double 6-2 and will face Mathias Bachinger from Germany in the seminal. Bachinger recovered from a set down to edge Adrian Mannarino 4-6 6-1 6-4.
Kremlin Cup ATP 250 Moscow
In the Kremlin Cup in Moscow US Open champion Marin Cilic beat Tommy Robredo 6-3 6-3 to advance to the semifinals where he will face Michail Kukushkin who recovered from a set down to edge Michail Kukushkin 1-6 7-6(5) 6-0.
This year’s Roland Garros semifinalist Ernests Gulbis battled past 2012 Kremlin Cup winner Andreas Seppi 7-6 4-6 7-6. In the semifinal he will face Roberto Bautista Agut who who defeated Ricardas Berankis from Lithuania with 7-5 6-3.
