Casper Ruud beat defending champion Sebastian Baez 6-3 6-0 to reach his first semifinal of the season at the Millennium Open in Estoril.
Baez earned an early break in the first game to take a 1-0 lead. Ruud converted his fourth break point in the second game to draw level to 1-1. Ruud broke for the second time in the eighth game after a double fault from Baez to seal the first set 6-3.
Ruud converted his third break point in the first game of the second set. The Norwegian player saved four break points in the second game in a six-deuce second game to take a 2-0 lead before earning two more breaks of serve in the third and fifth games to win the second set 6-0.
Baez converted only one of his seven break points, including four in the second set.
“It was great, particularly the second set, it was a great level by me. I am very happy and pleased with that. Sebastian is a tough player. The score can sometimes lie a little bit. 6-3 6-0 is not necessarily how it felt court. But that’s tennis, small margins in this sport and when you have the margins on your side, some points some lines here and there can go your way. It’s my first semifinal of the year. It’s important for me to try to do well now and win some matches. This is a very good start to the clay season”, said Ruud.
Ruud set up a semifinal match against Quentin Halys, who beat Dominic Thiem 6-1 6-4. Halys saved the two break points he faced and converted all three of his chances.
Halys broke twice in the fourth and sixth games to win the first set 6-1. The Frenchman converted his only break point in the fifth game to win the second set 6-4 after 1 hour and 19 minutes.
Halys has moved up to number 64 in the ATP Live Ranking.
“I am playing really good at the moment. For me to be here in the semifinals for the first tournament on clay is huge for me and I have played against some good players. I am so happy and I am looking forward for tomorrow because I think I can do well again tomorrow. It’s going to be a tough one, but I am looking forward to it”, said Halys.
Former Roland Garros semifinalist Marco Cecchinato beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-5 7-6 (7-5). Cecchinato earned his first break at 30 in the 12th game to win the opening set 7-5. The Italian player went up a 4-2 lead in the second set. Davidovich Fokina broke back at deuce in the ninth game and held serve in the 10th game to draw level to 5-5. Davidovich Fokina went up a 5-4 lead, but Cecchinato came back by winning three consecutive points to seal the second set 7-5.
Cecchinato set up a semifinal match against Miomir Kecmanovic, who beat Bernabe Zapata Miralles 7-5 6-2 with a break in the first set and two breaks in the second set. Kecmanovic beat Cecchinato 7-5 6-1 in Santiago last year in their only head-to-head match.
