The on-court action in Barcelona related to the quarterfinals of ATP 500 tournament has started later than expected due to the withdrawal of Jannik Sinner. The Italian, who plays great season so far, struggled with thigh and back injury issues and needed to pull out before his match against fellowcountry Lorenzo Musetti, who advanced into semis without appearing on court today. Musetti will play against tournament's 2nd seed Stefanos Tsitsipas on Saturday. The Greek scored a comfortable win over Alex De Minaur, winning 6-2 6-4. It was a really solid display of tennis from the Greek, who produced 9 breakpoints throughout whole the match while allowing his opponent just one and winning all his service games today.
Carlos Alcaraz played really intertaining match against another Spaniard, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The current world's number two prevailed with a score 7-6(5) 6-4, but he needed to put some effort against lower rated opponent in the match, which lasted 2:13 hours despite being just a two-setter. Alcaraz was up a break twice in second set, but did not capitalize on his advantage and needed to fight for this set in tiebreak, which he clinched with a score 7-5. Davidovich Fokina was not giving up in second phase of this match as well, but Alcaraz gained the decisive break in 10th game of this set and closed whole the match.
Daniel Evans will be the opponent of Alcaraz in tommorow's semifinal. The Brit achieved the notable upset on higher rated opponent second day in a row. Evans eliminated Karen Khachanov in relatively easy round of 16 match for him, winning 6-3 6-4 despite being the pre-match underdog with an odd 3.94. Today, he was also not a favorite in QFs match against Francisco Cerundolo, being rated witn an odd 3.17. Evans was very close to lose this match in straight sets, as he lost the opening one 2-6 and was defending breakpoints in crucial 11th game of second set, being *0-40 down within a score 5-5. The Brit managed to clear this danger and break his opponent in following game, which forced the decider. Evans followed the blow there, starting flawlessly with a 4-0 lead, which he did not slip away till the end, winning 2-6 7-5 6-3 eventually.
ATP 500 Barcelona QFs highlights:
Novak Djokovic has suffered a shocking lose in today's all-Serbian quarterfinal clash against Dusan Lajovic in ATP 250 event being played in Banja Luka. The world's ranking leader was a banker favorite before the match, being rated with an odd 1.09. Lajovic was the first to gain a break advantage in 3rd game, but the favorite started to put a pressure on his opponent, producing breakpoints in 3 games in a row and succeeding in 8th game to level the score. The world's number 70 has not discouraged himself though, retaking the lead in 9th game, as he converted second of two breakpoints created in this set. The real test for Lajovic came in 10th game, as he was serving for set and needed to defend three breakpoints. He held his nerves well, coming back from being 15-40 down and clinched the opening set with a score 6-4.
Second set did not bring any breaks, despite the fact that both players produced 5 breakpoints on each side. Tiebreak was needed there and Djokovic was very close to force the decider there. Multi Grand Slam championwas 6-3 up with a minibreak advantage and had 3 setpoints, but lost 5 points in a row, including two within own serve, and the greatest career's win of Dusan Lajovic came true as he crossed the finish line with a score 6-4 7-6(6). It was a great display of fighting spirit, patience and clinical play in key moments. Lajovic managed to overcome the world's ranking leader despite the necessity to defend 16 breakpoints in whole the match. The Serbian did it well, allowing his fellowcountry to convert only one of all those chances. Lajovic sets up another all-Serbian clash in semifinals, as he plays Miomir Kecmanovic tomorrow. The tournament's fourth seed defeated Jiri Lehecka in straight sets with a score 7-5 6-0.
ATP 250 Banja Luka QFs highlights:
Andrey Rublev did not disappoint, as he advanced into semis after defeating Damir Dzumhur 7-5 6-3. Rublev was a sure pre-match favorite against the current world's number 202, but he started this match slowly, being a break down in the opening games. Dzumhur did not manage to serve for a set within a score 5-3, as Rublev came back by winning 4 games in a row. Second set started from a huge hold from the Russian, who saved 4 breakpoints in the game which was 11 (!) deuces long. Rublev gained the break advantage in 5th game and did not give away the control over this match till the end. The world's number 6 will be a confident favorite in his tomorrow's semifinal match against Alex Molcan. The Slovakian advanced into semis after defeating Laslo Djere 6-2 4-6 7-5. Djere, who was a pre-match favorite with an odd 1.59 was close to join two other Serbians in semifinals line-up, but he did not prevail to serve for the match in 10th game of deciding set. Molcan won the last 3 games of this match, achieving one of the best results in his career.
Three out of four top seeds will compete in tomorrow's semifinals of ATP 250 event in Munich. Holger Rune secured his semis spot in comfortable way by scoring a routine win over Cristian Garin, 6-2 6-4. Christopher Oconnell will be his opponent on Saturday. The Aussie, who eliminated the home favorite Alexander Zverev in previous round, fought a victory in interesting match against the qualifier - Fabio Cobolli. The Aussie won 7-6(5) 4-6 6-3. Botic Van De Zandschulp will play against Taylor Fritz. The Dutch won 7-6(5) 6-3 against Marcos Giron, while tournament's second seed turned out to be better in interesting match-up against Dominic Thiem. The former Roland Garros and US Open runner-up was playing twice today, as he needed to complete his second round's match against Marc Andrea Huesler. The match was suspended yesterday within a score 7-5 3-3 for the Swiss. Thiem played much better today, winning second set 6-4 and decisive one with same score. The signs of good form displayed by the Austrian were not enough to defeat the current world's number 10 later in the afternoon, as Fritz won 6-3 6-4, denying Thiem from winning two matches in one day and making it into semis.
ATP 250 Munich highlights:
