Alex de Minaur in action© AFP
Defending champion Alex de Minaur beat Stefanos Tsitsipas for the first time to reach the semi-finals of the ATP hardcourt tournament in Acapulco, Mexico on Thursday. Australia’s De Minaur had come up empty in 10 prior meetings against Tsitsipas and it looked like more of the same when the Greek raced through the first set 6-1. But third-seeded De Minaur, coming off a runner-up finish to Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner in Rotterdam, fought back for a 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory and booked a last-four clash with Britain’s Jack Draper.
“Every time I’ve got to play him I get reminded about my (record in the) matchup,” De Minaur said. “I’m glad I got one on the board.”
Tsitsipas, seeded fifth, broke De Minaur three times in rolling through the first set.
The Australian came out on top in an exchange of five service breaks in the second set and saved the only break point he faced in the third.
“I would like to say that no one beats me 11 times in a row, but hey, Stefanos has had my number for a very long time, so I’m glad I was able to get one back,” De Minaur said.
Draper, 22, cruised past Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic 6-2, 6-2 to seal his place in the last four.
The other semi-final will pit second-seeded Holger Rune of Denmark against sixth-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway.
Rune defeated Germany’s Dominik Koepfer 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/0) to reach the semi-finals for the second year in a row.
Ruud rallied from a set down to beat American Ben Shelton 6-7 (7/9), 6-4, 6-4.
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