Taylor Fritz beat Shan Juncheng 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-5) in 1 hour and 46 minutes to reach the semifinals at the Rothesay International in Eastbourne.
Fritz, winner at two editions of the Eastbourne in 2019 and 2022, dropped just four points on serve and saved all four break points he faced.
Fritz saved two break points in the seventh game to hold serve. Both players went on serve en route to the tie-break. Fritz went up a mini-break twice in the tie-break, but Shang Juncheng pulled back on serve both times. Fritz earned his third mini-break to win the tie-break 7-5.
Shan Jucheng saved two break points in the first game of the second set, which went on serve en route to the tie-break. Fritz won the tie-break with his only mini-break on the 12th point.
“With the wind and everything, that was a very miserable match to play. I definitely feel well here. It’s tough to take too much from day. You are never really going to feel great hitting the ball as windy as it was. If I can serve as well as I did today, even in the wind, am really happy about that”, said Fritz.
Fritz will take on Alexander Vukic, who beat Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-5). Vukic reached his first semifinal since 2023, when he lost the final in Atlanta against Fritz.
British wild card Billy Harris came back from one set down to beat Flavio Cobolli 6-7 (3-6) 7-6 (7-4) 6-2. Harris reached his first semifinal in Eastbourne one week after advancing to his first ATP quarter final at Queen’s.
Harris saved two break points in the third game of the first set, which went on serve en route to the tie-break. Cobolli earned two mini-breaks to seal the tie-break on his set point.
Harris saved a break point in the fourth game of the second set. Cobolli fended off two break points at 2-2 and 3-3. Cobolli earned a 3-1 lead in the tie-break with a mini-break, but Harris won six of the next seven points to win the tie-break 7-4.
Harris earned his only two breaks in the fourth and eighth games of the third set to seal the win on his third match point becoming the fifth British player to reach the semifinal in Eastbourne after Greg Rusedski, Tim Henmann, Kyle Edmund and Jack Draper.
Harris beat Max Purcell, who beat Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3 7-6 (7-4) reaching his second ATP Tour level after Eastbourne.
