By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, October 14, 2022
J.J. Wolf roared through five straight games, including three straight at love, battling by Alexander Bublik 3-6,7-5,6-1 into his first ATP semifinal in Florence.
Photo credit: Getty
The owner of an ATP-best 15 indoor wins this season, Alexander Bublik has a high ceiling indoors.
In a dominant three-game run, J.J. Wolf brought the roof down on Bublik.
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Wolf roared through five straight games, including three straight at love, battling by Bublik 3-6,7-5,6-1 into his first ATP semifinal in Florence.
Deadlocked at 1-all in the decider, Wolf raced through 12 consecutive points powering to a 4-1 lead and never looked back wrapping up a two hour, 11-minute win.
The victory vaults Wolf 12 spots in the rankings to a new career-high of No. 63 in the live rankings.
The 23-year-old American converted four of 15 break points. The volatile Bublik banged 19 aces against 15 double faults.
Wolf said keeping his cool against the wildly unpredictable world No. 43 was key to this comeback.
"It's very uneasy playing against him," Wolf said. "He's probably one of the top five most talented players on Tour so you're always on your toes.
"I lost my cool a couple of times, but every chance against him is only a half chance. He can always ace you. He can always hit a winner so I tried to keep my cool as best I could."
Ball control—and Bublik brain cramps—helped Wolf create separation in the final set.
Bublik imploded in the fourth game of the decider that saw him double fault, dump a drop shot attempt into the tape then clank his 14th double fault handing Wolf the break and a 3-1 lead.
On his third match point, Wolf sailed a forehand. The young American came right back with a smash for a fourth match point.
When Bublik's backhand strayed wide, Wolf was through to his first ATP semifinal where he will face Mikael Ymer.
In today's first quarterfinal, qualifier Ymer swept Roberto Carballes Baena 6-4, 6-2, securing a spot in his third semifinal of the season.
It was the 99th-ranked Swede's 20th victory of the season, marking the first time Ymer has earned 20 wins in a single season. Wolf, who defeated fourth-seeded Maxime Cressy in the round of 16, will face Ymer for the first time.
"I'm going to enjoy this win and then worry about that," Wolf said of his maiden ATP semifinal. "He's playing great this week, so I'm excited about it."
No. 3-seeded Lorenzo Musetti dissected American Mackenzie McDonald 6-3, 6-2.
Hamburg champion Musetti won 12 of 15 net points and saved four of five break points advancing to his sixth semifinal of the season.
Musetti, who has permitted just eight games in two tournament wins, will take on either top-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime or American Brandon Nakashima for a spot in Sunday's final.