BRUNSWICK, July 9, 2015
The tournament’s number one favourite along with seven unseeded players were in action on quarterfinals Thursday at the ATP Challenger Sparkassen Open in Brunswick.
Top-seed Pablo Carreῆo-Busta was knocked out by Filip Krajinovic, losing 5-7, 6-4, 3-6. The 23-year-old Serbian withstood 12 aces from the Spaniard and converted seven of his twelve break points. Krajinovic closed the match after two hours and 19 minutes to reach his second semi-finals of the season, after he had made it to the stage of the final four at the ATP Challenger in Mersin in April.
“This was a match at highest level. Pablo played really well. I had to be focused throughout the match. I felt that the spectators enjoyed the show. Their reactions gave me a lot of energy. Thanks a lot for that. I am really happy to reach the semis here in Braunschweig a second time,” Krajinovic was pleased after the match.
The world number 122 from Belgrade will face Taro Daniel next. The 22-year-old Japanese defeated Daniel Brands, winning 6-4, 7-6. Daniel won 86% of his first service points, saved the only break point he faced and capitalized on one of his own to finish the match after one hour and 24 minutes.
“I played a really good match. I served well and also was very solid from the baseline. I hope that I can play like this in the semis as well,” told Daniel afterwards.
Daniel and Krajinovic will meet for the second time on the tour with the Serb winning the only previous encounter in straight sets in Kuala Lumpur in 2014.
Taro Daniel advanced to the semi-finals (photo: Thomas Ammerpohl)
Thiemo de Bakker defeated Horacio Zeballos, firing 16 aces against the Argentine. The 26-year-old Dutch won 80% of his first service points sealing victory in one hour and 45 minutes to take on Paul-Henri Mathieu in the semi-finals. The Frenchman advanced without playing, when his opponent Nils Langer withdrew from his match due to back injury.
De Bakker and Mathieu will play their second match on the tour. The 33-year-old Frenchman won the last encounter in Wimbledon in 2010.
It will be the only second time in the tournament’s history that four unseeded players advanced to the semi-finals. Last time was 12 ago when Tomas Berdych, Igor Andreev, Ruben Ramirez-Hidalgo and Werner Eschauer made it to this stage. The latter eventually took the title.
