Adelaide International, Australia
Paul Reaches Adelaide Semifinals; Monfils Makes Auckland Final Four; Kessler Advances in Hobart
Top seed Tommy Paul raced into the final four at the Adelaide International on Thursday, defeating Rinky Hijikata 6-3, 6-4.
Needing one hour and 19 minutes to advance, Paul hit eight aces, won 76 percent of his first serve points and broke his Australian opponent on two occasions.
The 27-year-old American will next face No. 5 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who dismissed Marcos Giron 7-6(3), 6-3.
Auger-Aliassime leads the pair’s head-to-head 1-0.
Other winners on the day saw No. 2 seed Sebastian Korda reach the semifinals after Thanasi Kokkinakis was unable to take the court due to injury.
Korda will take on Miomir Kecmanovic for a place in the finals. Kecmanovic defeated qualifier Benjamin Bonzi 6-2, 6-3.
On the women’s side, top seed Jessica Pegula survived a tough day for the seeds, advancing the semifinals after Ashlyn Krueger retired at 6-4, 2-0.
Pegula will next face Yulia Putintseva, who dispatched No. 6 seed Diana Shnaider 7-6(3), 6-7(9), 6-4.
Other results on the day saw Liudmila Samsonova defeat No. 2 seed Emma Navarro 6-4, 6-4, and Madison Keys dismiss No. 3 seed Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3.
Samsonova and Keys will face off on Friday.
*****
ASB Classic—Auckland, New Zealand
Tour veteran Gael Monfils posted another victory on Thursday at ASB Classica in Auckland, New Zealand, defeating Facundo Diaz Acosta 6-3, 6-1.
In hot and steamy conditions, Monfils needed one hour and 18 minutes to defeat his Argentinian opponent.
The Frenchman will next face Nishesh Basavareddy, who took out fellow American and No. 8 seed Alex Michelsen 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Friday’s other semifinal will feature No. 7 seed Nuno Borges taking on Zizou Bergs.
Borges defeated Jakub Mensik 6-7(4), 6-2, 7-6(4) in two hour and 28 minutes, and Bergs ousted Roberto Carballes Baena 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.
*****
Hobart International—Hobart, Australia
Thursday’s action at the Hobart International featured Mccartney Kessler causing the upset of the day after she defeated top seed Dayana Yastremska 7-5, 6-4.
Kessler hit three aces, won 69 percent of her first serve points and broke serve on five occasions.
The American will next face No. 6 seed Elina Avanesyan from Armenia in the semifinals. Avanesyan advanced when her quarterfinal opponent Amanda Anisiamova withdrew prior to their match.
Other results on the day included No. 2 seed Elise Mertens defeating Veronika Kudermetova 6-1, 0-6, 6-2, and Maya Joint easily dispatching former Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-1.
Mertens and Joint will contest Friday’s second semifinal.
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