By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, April 8, 2016
Juan Monaco dismissed Sam Querrey, 6-4, 6-4, to surge into the Houston semifinals.
Photo credit: Aaron M. Sprecher/ROCC
Another forehand sailed and Sam Querrey bounced his palm off his racquet face as if trying to smack some sense into his unruly strings.
Juan Monaco created more complicated problems than string tension on the River Oaks red clay.
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The 2012 champion countered with accuracy coaxing Querrey into hitting himself right out of Houston.
Sliding into the corners and striking angled replies, Monaco marched past Querrey, 6-4, 6-4, into the semifinals for the third time in the last five years.
Monaco meets either good buddy Feliciano Lopez for a spot in the US Men's Clay Court Championships final. The third-seeded Spaniard did not drop serve defeating wild card Tim Smyczek, 6-2, 6-3, in 70 minutes.
The world No. 148, who missed the Australian Open with a right wrist injury, reached his first semifinal since bowing to sometime practice partner Rafael Nadal in the Buenos Aires final in February of 2015.
Monaco has owned Querrey on clay in the past, primarily because he's a much better mover on dirt, plays with more consistency and torments the American's two-handed backhand on pivotal points.
Monaco had won four of their five meetings, including all three of their clay-court clashes. Yet Querrey, who managed just four games falling to Monaco on dirt in Nice last spring, had to feel some confidence based on current form. He won his eighth career title in Delray Beach in February and rode an eight-match winning streak into the Acapulco semifinals.
Still, the world No. 35 got an early taste of Monaco's combinations in the first game.
Querrey erased a triple-break point start sliding an ace out wide, ladling a lilting drop shot winner and banging another biting serve wide to hold in the opening game.
Monaco answered with a love hold.
Clay can be challenging for Querrey because precision players, like Monaco, can get to his weaker backhand wing and because of his uncertainty closing at net. Querrey sometimes looks confused whether to play drop or drive volleys.
Footwork cost him the first break. Querrey was slightly slow reaching a short ball. Still, it was a routine putaway, but he flubbed a forehand down the line as Monaco converted his fifth break point for 3-2.
On the strength of his second love hold, Monaco backed up the break.
Staring down set points in the ninth game, Querrey amped up his aggression and pace of his forehand, withstanding the test for 4-5.
Aided by a let-cord that set the ball up as if on a tee, Monaco smacked a two-handed backhand down the line closing the first set in 36 minutes. Though his serve rarely exceeded 109 mph, Monaco was sharp on the first rally ball. He served 76 percent and won 17 of 20 points played on his first serve in the first set.
On a breezy day, Monaco played with more spin and greater care than Querrey, who slapped a forehand long to gift the break in the opening game of the second set.
Targeting the American's backhand again, Monaco saved a third break point then coaxed a backhand error holding for 4-2.
Querrey saved a match point forcing the 32-year-old former champion to serve it out. Shortly after former President George H.W. Bush, an avid tennis fan and Houston resident, arrived on site, Monaco vetoed Querrey's comeback bid.
On his second match point, Monaco ended with a shout as Querrey's final backhand sailed long ending a 74-minute encounter.