BNP Paribas Nordic Open—Stockholm, Sweden
Wawrinka Upsets Rublev in Stockholm; Badosa Reaches Ningbo Semifinals
Former three-time Major winner Stan Wawrinka scored an impressive victory in Stockholm, Sweden on Friday, defeating top seed Andrey Rublev 7-6(5), 7-6(5).
Improving to 3-2 against Rublev in lifetime meetings, Wawrinka hit 14 aces, won 77 percent of his first serve points, struck 33 winners and broke serve on one occasion.
The 39-year-old Swiss star will next face No. 4 seed and former winner Tommy Paul.
Paul overcame Miomir Kecmanovic 7-6(9), 6-2 earlier in the day.
Still to come on Friday, No. 2 seed Casper Ruud and No. 3 seed Grigor Dimitrov will be in action.
Tiafoe Ousted in Almaty
Outside of playing in Cincinnati and the US Open, the 2024 season has been a struggle for American Frances Tiafoe.
The top seed’s woes continued on Friday as he was ousted in the quarterfinals of the Almaty Open, losing in straight sets to Aleksandar Vukic 6-2, 7-6(11).
Vukic will next face either No. 3 seed Karen Khachanov or home-country favourite Beibit Zhukayev.
Elsewhere, No. 4 seed Francisco Cerundolo defeated another home-country hopeful Alexander Shevchenko 6-2, 6-3.
Cerundolo will next face Canadian Gabriel Diallo. The towering 23-year-old dismissed No. 2 seed Alejandro Tabilo 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 for his best career win.
Top Seed Sees Action in Antwerp
Vying for a spot in the prestigious ATP Final in Turin, Italy, top seed Alex de Minaur will be in action later today in Antwerp, Belgium against Hugo Gaston.
De Minuar is currently in ninth place in the race to Turin. He trails Andrey Rublev by 275 points.
No. 2 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and No. 3 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime will also be in action on Friday.
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Ningbo Open—Ningbo, China
Popular Spaniard Paula Badosa advanced to the semifinals of the Ningbo Open on Friday, defeating No. 6 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-3, 6-2.
Posting the impressive victory, Badosa hit three aces, won 83 percent of her first serve points and broke serve on three occasions.
Badosa will next face No. 5 seed Daria Kasatkina. The Russian defeated Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(6).
Other results on the day saw Mirra Andreeva advance when No. 4 seed and reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova was forced to retire trailing 7-6(5), 3-2.
Matches that are still to come on Friday will feature No. 7 seed Anna Kalinskaya taking on the Karolina Muchova.
Parry Contines to Roll in Osaka
Diane Parry continued her title bid in Osaka, Japan on Friday, dispatching Clara Tauson 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
The Nice native will next face Suzan Lamens from the Netherlands.
Other winners on the day included Kimberly Birrell and Aoi Ito from Japan. They will face off on Saturday.
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