ATP: Tsitsipas, Goffin to meet in Marseille semis

Stefanos Tsitsipas will meet David Goffin in the semifinals of the ATP event in Marseille after both won their quarterfinal matches in straight sets on Friday.

No.1 seed Tsitsipas brushed Sergiy Stakhovsky aside in just 68 minutes, winning 6-4 6-3 to set up a meeting with the third-seeded Goffin, who beat Gilles Simon 6-2 6-4.

It is the Greek star’s second semifinal of the season after reaching the same stage of last month’s Australian Open, while this is the furthest Goffin has advanced in five events so far in 2019.

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“(Tsitsipas) serves well, and he’s confident at the moment. He’s the top seed and the favourite in every match,” Goffin told atptour.com.

“I like to be the outsider, and I’ve already beaten him. It will be a nice semifinal for the tournament.”

Also reaching the final four at the indoor hardcourt event in France’s south was 20-year-old local wildcard Ugo Humbert.

The Frenchman followed up his upset win over No.2 seed Borna Coric in the last 16 with a 6-3 6-3 win in the quarters over German qualifier Matthias Bachinger.

Humbert will face Mikhail Kukushkin – a straight-sets winner over Andrey Rublev – for a place in the Marseille final.

Isner, Evans win through to Delray Beach semis

REUTERS – Thanks to 24 aces, second-seeded John Isner of the US posted a 7-6(2) 6-4 win over eighth-seeded Adrian Mannarino of France in the quarterfinals at Delray Beach, Florida.

Isner saved all three break points he faced and earned the lone service break of the match midway through the second set.

His semifinal opponent will be Great Britain’s Daniel Evans, who upset sixth-seeded Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-4 6-4.

Evans, continuing to work his way back up the rankings after a cocaine-related suspension, has now won five matches in a row after beginning the week in the qualifying draw.

He has built an impressive 14-3 win-loss record so far in 2019.

Mac Attack ????????

Mackenzie McDonald pulls off the upset against Juan Martin del Potro 6-4 3-6 7-6(5) to reach his first career ATP semi-finals @DelrayBeachOpen pic.twitter.com/UjixqRhkJB

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 23, 2019

The other semifinal will see Moldova’s Radu Albot – a 1-6 6-3 7-6(5) winner over fourth-seeded American Steve Johnson – taking on another American, Mackenzie McDonald, who beat No.1 seed Juan Martin del Potro 6-4 3-6 7-6(5).

Del Potro was playing his first tournament after a four-month absence due to a fractured patella.

Auger-Aliassime continues to dazzle in Rio

REUTERS – Felix Auger-Aliassime, an 18-year-old Canadian, advanced to his first career ATP Tour semifinal with a 6-4 6-3 victory over Spain’s Jaume Munar on Friday in the Rio Open at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Aliassime, ranked 104th in the world, had just seven career wins on the top-level tour before winning three consecutive matches this week.

He was the more aggressive player against Munar, producing 32 winners and 34 errors, while the Spaniard had seven winners and 18 errors.

Felix’s #FridayFeeling ????

Felix Auger-Aliassime dispatches of Jaume Munar 6-4 6-3 to reach his first career ATP semi-finals! pic.twitter.com/MNKbEm0LLy

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 23, 2019

“This is what I work for every day. It’s what I get up for every morning,” Auger-Aliassime told atptour.com.

“As soon as I walked on court, I felt the energy from the crowd and felt like I couldn’t get tired. The tournament isn’t over yet, but this feels great.”

Next up for Aliassime is a match-up against Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas, who beat Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas in three sets on Friday night.

The other semifinal will be an all-European affair; Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene, a 4-6 6-2 6-3 winner over Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien, will oppose Serbia’s Laslo Djere, who knocked out Norway’s Casper Ruud 6-4 7-5.