Cristian Garin advanced to the semifinal at the Chile Dove Men + Care Open with his 6-4 6-4 win over Peruvian qualifier Juan Pablo Varillas in Santiago de Chile. Garin saved six of the eight break points he faced.
Varillas went up a break in the fifth game of the opening set, but Garin broke straight back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Both players went on serve in the next three games before Garin closed out the first set with a break in the 10th game.
Varillas converted his fifth break point in the first game of the second set. Garin broke straight back in the second game to love. Garin saved a break point in the fifth game before breaking serve at love to win the second set 6-4.
“I would love to be able to do something important in this tournament. It is special and I hope I can continue to win. I am playing better, in a semifinal and I am excited to do better, but I prefer to go step by step, game by game”, said Garin.
Garin set up a semifinal match against Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan, who beat 2018 Quito champion Roberto Carballes Baena 7-6 (10-8) 6-3 after 1 hour and 52 minutes.
Federico Delbonis beat 17-year-old world junior number 1 Holger Rune 6-3 6-3 after 67 minutes. The Argentine won 83% of his first first-serve points. Delbonis earned his only break in the first game to win the opening set 6-3. Delbonis went up a break in the third game of the second set, but Rune broke straight back to draw level to 2-2. Delbonis won the final three games of the second set with two breaks in the seventh and ninth games.
Rune was looking to become the youngest player to reach an ATP Tour level semifinal since 17-year-old Alexander Zverev achieved this feat in Hamburg in 2014. Delbonis will take on his compatriot Facundo Bagnis, who came back from one set down to beat Laslo Djere 4-6 6-3 6-3 after 2 hours and six minutes.
