By Alberto Amalfi | Friday, July 27, 2018
Nicolas Jarry saved three set points in the second-set tie break stunning top-seeded Dominic Thiem, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (7), in Hamburg.
Photo credit: German Open Tennis Championships am Hamburger Rothenbaum Facebook
Nicolas Jarry exerted tie-break toughness to craft the biggest win of his career.
A stubborn Jarry denied three set points in the second-set tie break stunning top-seeded Dominic Thiem, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (7), charging into his third semifinal of the season on the red clay of Hamburg.
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The 22-year-old Chilean powerhouse pounded 21 forehand winners surprising the Roland Garros runner-up in one hour, 57 minutes for his first career Top 10 victory.
The biggest win of Jarry's career will have ranking repercussions as well.
The 69th-ranked Jarry is projected to crack the Top 50 for the first time when the new ATP rankings are released on Monday.
Jarry's previous career-high rank was No. 59 on May 21st.
Thiem, who took the court with an ATP-best 38 wins on the season, hit heavy serves seizing a 4-1 lead in the second-set tie break. When Jarry scattered a forehand, Thiem had three set points.
Jarry unloaded a fierce forehand to save the first. Thiem missed a forehand on the second set point then lined up an inside-out forehand on the third set point, but lashed it wide.
The eighth-ranked Austrian smacked a forehand down the line to deny a match point, but netted a mid-court sitter gifting a second match point to Jarry. When Thiem missed a forehand, Jarry was through to his third semifinal of the season.
The 6'6" Jarry will play qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili for a spot in Sunday's final.
Basilashvili beat third-seeded Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta, 7-6 (3), 6-4. Jarry is bidding to reach his first final since he was runner-up to Fabio Fognini in the Sao Paulo final in March.
In an all-Argentine clash, Leonardo Mayer fought off second-seeded Diego Schwartzman, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
Reigning champion Mayer exploited eight double faults from Schwartzman, won 24 of 33 points played on his opponent's second serve and converted five of nine break points in a two hour, 13-minute victory.
The 31-year-old Mayer, who had suffered opening-round exits in four of his prior six tournaments, reached his first semifinal since he defeated Florian Mayer to become the Mayer of Hamburg last July.
Two-time champion Mayer raised his record to 14-2 in Hamburg.
The 36th-ranked Mayer will play Jozef Kovalik in tomorrow's semifinals.
The Slovakian qualifier tamed lucky loser Thiago Monteiro, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
It was Kovalik's second win over Monteiro in the last five days following his victory in the final round of qualifying on Sunday.