By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday February 22, 2024
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud both came through in quarterfinal action on Thursday to set a high-stakes semifinal at Los Cabos.
Photo Source: TTV
A stacked semifinal field is set in Los Cabos, as Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud both came through in straight sets to set their third ATP battle and first since 2021.
Ruud took out Portugal’s Nuno Borges, 6-3, 6-2, while Tsitsipas defeated American Aleksandar Kovacevic in a battle of one-handed backhands, 7-6(1), 6-3.
Ruud has dropped just six games en route to the semifinals in his Los Cabos debut.
Tsitsipas was down 3-0 against Kovacevic but found his way back and eventually took over the contest. He won 87 percent of his first-serve points and saved four of five break points including all three he faced in the second set.
“He pushed me to the limits,” Tsitsipas said. “I’m happy with the way I delivered... I think the second set was handled exceptionally well, I got the opportunity to take and I did it immediately and since that moment I was handling my serve very well.”
Elsewhere Jordan Thompson rallied to topple 19-year-old Alex Michelsen, saving three match points to win 0-6, 7-6(1), 7-5. Michelsen won the first nine games of the match and served for the match at 5-4 (broken at love) in the final set, but could not get the victory.
Thompson will face Alexander Zverev in the semis. The top-seeded German defeated Thanasi Kokkinakis, 6-3, 6-4.