ATP Umag: Lajovic and Djere lead Serbian charge. Balazs and Caruso advance
World no. 207 Attila Balazs is having a dream week in Umag, qualifying for the main draw and advancing into the first ATP semi-final since Bucharest in 2012! The Hungarian was the quarter-finalist at home in Budapest in April and he is now in the last four after a 3-6, 7-6, 6-3 triumph over Stefano Travaglia in two hours and 22 minutes. Balazs won just two points more than the Italian, saving five out of eight break points and delivering four breaks to cross the finish line first. They traded breaks at the beginning of the match and it was Travaglia who played better in the closing parts, holding at love in games seven and nine and stealing Attila's serve in between for a 6-3. Stefano fended off two set points at 4-5 in the second set before Balazs grabbed a tie break 7-2 with three mini-breaks to set up the decider where he controlled the pace with breaks in games three and nine for the best result on the Tour in seven years.
The 3rd seed Laslo Djere had to stay on the court for more than two and a half hours in a hard-fought 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 win over the 8th seed Leonardo Mayer for the first semi-final since Budapest in April. The Serb repelled all seven break points he faced, forcing Mayer to do the same and breaking him twice from eight chances to prevail and stay in contention for the title. Laslo drew first blood in the third game after a double fault from Mayer, saving a break point in games two and four and sealing the opener at 5-4 after a forehand error from Leonardo. The Serb saved all five break points in set number two, including three set points at 5-6, with the Argentine following that pace to reach a tie break that he won 8-6 after a thrilling backhand return winner, sending the encounter into a decider where he stayed in touch with Djere in the first four games.
Nonetheless, the Serb broke in the sixth game after a forehand winner, firing four winners in game nine to secure the place in the semis. The 4th seed Dusan Lajovic took down Aljaz Bedene 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in two hours and 32 minutes, raising the level in sets two and three to advance into the last four. Serving at only 49%, the Slovenian gave his best to stay in touch with the seeded player as long as possible, saving eight out of 14 break points but not finding the way to match Lajovic's performance after the opener. The match kicked off with back-to-back breaks and Dusan grabbed another break in game eight to move 5-3 in front. Out of sudden, Bedene started to climb back, delivering breaks in games nine and 11 to drive in front and fending off a break chance with a forehand winner in that 12th game for a 7-5.
Dusan forged a 4-2 advantage in set number two before Aljaz pulled it back, only to suffer another break in game eight and allow Lajovic to close the set on serve at 5-3 after saving three break chances. The Serb had the momentum now and it was all about him in the decider, breaking Bedene in games three and nine and marching into the semis. World no. 125 Salvatore Caruso came to Umag with just three ATP wins and he is now an ATP semi-finalist, storming over Facundo Bagnis 6-4, 6-0 in 79 minutes for another great result after reaching the third round at Roland Garros. Salvatore lost 17 points in eight service games, getting broken once and overcoming that deficit with a brilliant performance on the return, taking more than half of the points behind Bagnis' initial shot to dominate in set number two and earn another big results for the Italian players in what has been a very successful season for them.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2GmytVD
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