Thursday's action was disrupted by rain in Auckland, with top seed Ben Shelton trailing Sebastian Baez 7-5, 0-1 when play was suspended. The remaining quarterfinals will resume Friday, while Adelaide's semifinals are set with Paul facing Machac and Davidovich Fokina taking on Humbert. In the only completed Thursday's match in Auckland, Marcos Giron staged a remarkable comeback from a set down to upset 24th-ranked Luciano Darderi 1-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Meanwhile, the semifinals are all set in Adelaide International. Tommy Paul marked his return from injury layoff with a commanding 6-3, 6-2 victory over Aleksandar Vukic to reach the Adelaide International semifinals, facing Tomas Machac. Top seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina continues his pursuit of a maiden ATP, facing Ugo Humbert in semis line-up on Friday.
Paul's triumphant return highlights Adelaide success
Tommy Paul has missed the final three months of 2025 due to a persistent foot injury. The American second seed looked sharp from the opening game, dismantling local hope Aleksandar Vukic with clinical precision. Paul's serving was particularly impressive, firing nine aces while winning 77% of his first serve points. His ability to convert break opportunities proved decisive - he broke Vukic's serve four times from seven chances while saving the only break point he faced. The victory marked Paul's third semifinal appearance at the Adelaide International, demonstrating his comfort on the tournament's hard courts. After such a lengthy absence, Paul's movement and timing showed no signs of rust as he controlled the match from start to finish, winning 11 of 22 return pressure points to keep Vukic constantly under threat.
Giron stages remarkable comeback in Auckland thriller
Marcos Giron produced the day's most dramatic turnaround, rallying from a disastrous opening set to defeat Luciano Darderi in a two-hour, 36-minute battle. After being thoroughly outplayed in the first set, losing 6-1, Giron found his range to edge closer contests in the second and third sets. The American's persistence paid off as he converted five of ten break point opportunities while saving six of eleven when under pressure on his own serve. Giron's ability to handle crucial moments proved the difference - he won 21 of 35 serve pressure points compared to Darderi's struggles in key situations. The victory makes Giron the first player to reach multiple tour-level semifinals this season, having also reached the final four in Hong Kong last week. His resilience after such a poor start demonstrated the mental fortitude that has characterized his recent strong form.
Davidovich Fokina's title quest gathers momentum
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina moved within two wins of his maiden ATP title, defeating reigning Shanghai champion Valentin Vacherot 7-6(4), 6-2 in Adelaide's evening session. The top-seeded Spaniard, competing as the highest seed at a tournament for the first time in his career, carved stunning angles and winners to neutralize Vacherot's powerful serve. Despite facing 15 aces from his opponent, Davidovich Fokina maintained his focus and raised his level throughout the match. The 26-year-old, who has reached five ATP finals including two where he held championship points in 2025, converted three of five break point chances while successfully defending the one break point he faced. His composed performance under pressure was evident as he won four of six serve pressure points, setting up a semifinal clash with the in-form Ugo Humbert.
Humbert dominates qualifier in clinical display
Ugo Humbert delivered the day's most one-sided performance, dispatching qualifier Alexander Shevchenko 6-0, 6-3 in just 57 minutes. The French fourth seed fired 32 winners en route to his dominant victory, showcasing the aggressive baseline game that has made him one of the tour's most dangerous players. Humbert's serving was particularly impressive, winning 85% of first serve points while saving all three break points he faced. His return game was equally clinical, breaking Shevchenko's serve four times from seven opportunities. The efficiency of Humbert's performance was reflected in his pressure point statistics - he won 10 of 19 return pressure points while maintaining perfect composure when under threat on his own serve, winning six of nine crucial points.
Machac advances with steady performance
Tomas Machac secured his semifinal spot with a workmanlike 6-4, 6-4 victory over Jaume Munar in Adelaide's other quarterfinal. The Czech player demonstrated excellent defensive skills, saving all four break points he faced while converting two of six opportunities on the Spaniard's serve. Machac's ability to perform under pressure was evident throughout - he won an impressive 10 of 13 serve pressure points, never allowing Munar to gain momentum in the match. His first serve percentage of 76% provided a solid foundation, while his patient approach from the baseline gradually wore down his opponent. The victory continues Machac's solid start to the 2026 season as he looks to build on his breakthrough 2025 campaign.
Looking ahead to Friday
Friday's Adelaide semifinals deliver two compelling matchups as four players vie for a spot in the ATP final. World No. 21 Tommy Paul faces Czech rising star Tomas Machac in a clash between contrasting hard court specialists, while Spanish clay court maestro Alejandro Davidovich Fokina looks to continue his impressive hard court form against French ace machine Ugo Humbert. Both semifinals promise tactical intrigue and high-quality tennis as the tournament reaches its business end.
American consistency meets Czech resilience
Paul enters as the higher-ranked favorite, but Machac holds a surprising 2-1 head-to-head advantage over the American. Their most recent encounter in Rome last May saw Paul claim victory, suggesting he's found solutions to the Czech's varied game style. On hard courts specifically, however, Machac has dominated their meetings with a 2-0 record, adding extra intrigue to this semifinal showdown.
The statistical contrast reveals two different approaches to hard court success. Paul's superior return game stands out immediately – he wins 31.8% of points against first serves compared to Machac's 25.9%, while also holding advantages on second serve returns at 55.5% versus 48.8%. This return prowess has been crucial to Paul's 69.6% hard court win rate over the past 12 months, significantly higher than Machac's 60.7%.
However, Machac brings momentum with a current three-match winning streak and has shown greater composure in tiebreaks, posting a 64.3% success rate compared to Paul's concerning 35.7%. Given their head-to-head history on this surface, the Czech's ability to raise his level in decisive moments could prove decisive. Paul's superior overall form suggests he should advance, but Machac has the tools to cause an upset if he can force extended rallies and tiebreak situations.
Spanish flair against French firepower
Davidovich Fokina's presence in an Adelaide semifinal represents one of 2026's early surprises, with the Spaniard showing impressive adaptation to hard courts after years of clay court specialization. His 3-2 head-to-head lead over Humbert includes their most recent meeting in Basel last October, where the Spaniard prevailed in straight sets. On hard courts, Davidovich Fokina holds a narrow 2-1 advantage, suggesting genuine comfort on the surface.
The serve-return dynamic heavily favors Humbert, whose 7.5 aces per match and 76.6% first serve points won rate showcase his service weaponry. The Frenchman's ability to save 67.4% of break points faced demonstrates his clutch serving under pressure. Davidovich Fokina counters with superior return numbers, winning 29.6% of first serve return points compared to Humbert's 27.3%, while also converting break point opportunities at a higher 46.3% rate.
Both players arrive in excellent form with 7-3 records over their last 10 matches, but Davidovich Fokina's greater hard court experience this season – 48 matches compared to Humbert's 30 – could prove telling in the pressure moments. The Spaniard's improved tiebreak record of 58.6% gives him another edge over Humbert's 54.5%. Expect a high-quality encounter where Davidovich Fokina's consistency and superior return game should overcome Humbert's serving advantages.
Friday's Adelaide action promises two contrasting semifinals that will determine the finalists. With both higher seeds facing legitimate challenges from in-form opponents, expect competitive tennis as the 2026 season's storylines continue to develop in Australia.