LISBON, May 18, 2019
Four seeded players advanced to the semi-finals of the Lisboa Belém Open led by World No. 86 Roberto Carballés Baena. The second favourite from Spain eased past Frenchman Elliot Benchetrit, winning 6-3, 6-0 on Friday morning.
Carballés Baena capitalized on seven of his 11 break point opportunities to advance in only 69 minutes.
Roberto Carballes Baena is the first player to book a spot in the SFs. The World No. 86 defeats Elliot Benchetrit 6-3, 6-0.#LisboaBelémOpen | @ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/bKiBGvW3Zx
— Lisboa Belém Open (@LisboaBelemOpen) 17. Mai 2019
“He is a talented player and surprised me at first, but after 3-3 in the first set, he started to lose his focus, complained much of everything,” Carballés Baena said. “In the second set, he wanted to attack every ball, went often to the net, and sometimes it was easy for me to find the right passing-shot.”
The wild card entry will next be challenged by fellow countryman Pedro Martínez, who knocked off No. 3 seed Guido Andreozzi of Argentina 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in two hours and 31 minutes.
Lorenzo Giustino of Italy, the tournament’s No. 11, held off the great run of ITF-entry Sandro Ehrat from Switzerland. The 27-year-old Naples native won 53 per cent of the total points played to seal a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 victory in two hours and 17 minutes.
Giustino will meet No. 10 seed Facundo Bagnis for a spot in the final. The World No. 144 from Argentina beat Mario Vilella Martínez of Spain 6-2, 6-3. The encounter lasted one hour and eight minutes.
