Alexander Zverev advances to Vienna Open semi-finals after win over Felix Auger-Aliassime in Austria
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Updated 29/10/2021 at 21:44 GMT
German number two seed Alexander Zverev will contest a Vienna Open semi-final match on Saturday after he progressed from the quarter-finals in Austria on Friday evening. Zverev needed three sets as he beat Canadian rival Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 3-6 6-3, despite the loser sending down more aces than the eventual winner.
Alexander Zverev
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Number two seed Alexander Zverev beat Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 3-6 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Vienna Open on Friday evening, as Jannik Sinner deafeated Casper Ruud 7-5 6-1 to move into a qualifying spot for the Nitto ATP finals.
The German had a consistent service game to thank for his win ahead of the penultimate round in Austria but his Canadian rival was more successful with his aces, hitting 12 to his opponent's six.
Zverev, who had beaten Australian Alex de Minaur on Thursday to reach this stage, won a tight-fought first set before Auger-Aliassime hit back to level with a 6-3 win in the second set.
Zverev then raced into the lead in the decisive set, but Auger-Aliassime - winner over Briton Cameron Norrie in the quarters - was able to make a fight of it towards the end of the match until Zverev held his serve to secure the win.
In the earlier quarter-final match, Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz defeated Italian third seed Matteo Berrettini 6-1 6-7(2-7) 7-6(7-5) to set up a meeting with Zverev.
Alcaraz looked in exceptional form in the first set as he raced into a 6-1 lead, before Berrettini levelled in the second set on a tie-break. Alcaraz then won the match with his own tie-break in the decisive third.
American 23-year-old Frances Tiafoe was pushed hard by Argentine eighth-seed Diego Schwartzman in the day's penultimate match, as he sent down nine aces compared to the journeyman's single effort.
Tiafoe secured a 6-4 7-6(8-6) victory with five breaks for Tiafoe, and four for Schwartzman representing the tight nature of the match.
The day's final match saw Sinner defeat Ruud 7-5 6-1, with 10 aces taking the Italian youngster past Hubert Hurkacz to take the final qualifying spot for the Nitto ATP finals. He is also now 90 points shy of Ruud, who holds seventh place.
The semi-finals will be played on Saturday.
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