Canadian qualifier Denis Shapovalov beat fourth seed Jiri Lehecka 6-2 6-1 to reach his seventh championship match and his fifth on indoor hard court at the Belgrade Open.
Shapovalov converted his third break point in the game and held serve at love to open up a 3-0. Lehecka saved four break points to hold serve after five deuces. Shapovalov broke serve on his second set point in the sixth game. Shapovalov broke twice in the second and fourth games and served out the win on his first match point.
hapovalov has lost and one break point in his four main-draw matches. He did not face a break point and won 96% of his first serve points.
Shapovalov will move to the brink of the top 50 if he can beat Hamad Medjedovic in their first head-to-head match, Shapovalov will be aiming to win his second career title following Stockolm 2019.
“Against a guy like Jiri, if you don’t go after him, he is going to dictate the court. So for sure I was trying to play my game, play aggressive, So for sure I was trying to play my game, play aggressive, really take it to him from the beginning”, said Shapovalov.
Medjedovic beat Laslo Djere 6-2 3-6 7-6 (7-2) in an all Serbian head-to-head matchto reach his first ATP Tour level final. Medjedovic is the third ungest player after Novak Djokovic and Miomir Keczmanovic.
Medjedovic broke twice in the third and seventh games to win the opening set 6-2. Djere converted his sixth break point in the sixth game to win the second set 6-3. The third set went on serve en route to the tie-break. Medjedovic went up a 3-0 lead with two mini-breaks. Djere pulled one break back for 1-3. Medjedovic earned a third mini-break before sealing the win on his first match point.
