By Tennis Now | Friday, August 11, 2017
In a match of unseeded players, Robin Haase held off Diego Schwartzman, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, to reach his first Masters semifinal in Montreal.
Photo credit: Valeriano Di Domenico/Swiss Open Gstaad
While his opponent left the court for a comfort break, Robin Haase jump-started his leap to a career milestone.
Jumping rope to stay loose before the start of the third set, Haase high-stepped into his first Masters 1000 final holding off Diego Schwartzman, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in Montreal.
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Haase wore down the 5-foot-7 Argentine, who fought through three-set victories over Reilly Opelka, third-seeded Dominic Thiem and Jared Donaldson in reaching his second Masters quarterfinal of the year. Schwartzman saved four match points defeating Thiem in the second round and showed plenty of resolve today.
Ultimately, Haas’ patience from the baseline and his willingness to pound the Schwartzman second serve—he converted six of 14 break points and won 23 of 36 points played on the Argentine’s second delivery—empowered him to his fifth win over the world No. 36 in as many meetings.
The 30-year-old Dutchman will play either second-seeded Roger Federer or 12th-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in tomorrow’s semifinal.
In a quarterfinal clash of unseeded player, Schwartzman beat Haase to the punch in baseline rallies throughout much of the first set.
On his second set point, Schwartzman tomahawked an inside-out forehand winner to take the 34-minute opening set.
Baseline precision put Schwartzman in the lead, but it didn’t last.
In the early stages of the second set, Schwartzman suddenly lost the plot spitting up six unforced errors in a seven-point span as Haase broke for 2-1. Two games later, Haase hammered a return breaking again for 4-1.
Digging and straddling the baseline, Schwartzman staved off five break points in a gritty hold for 3-4. Haase erased a break point in the eighth game.
Bending low in the corner, Haas spun a backhand pass prompting Schwartzman into a tricky half-volley he pushed wide. That miss gave Haase the second set and forced a decider.
After about a six-minute bathroom break, Schwartzman returned to action only to encounter an unerring Haase and growing fatigue.
Continuing to attack his returns, Haase broke in Schwartzman’s opening service game of the final set in building a 3-0 lead.
A diagonal forehand ended a two hour, three-minute victory.