ATP Tour

Mpetshi Perricard saves four set points before storming into Winston-Salem SFs

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard clawed his way through a dramatic first set before powering into the Winston-Salem Open semi-finals on Thursday.

In two contrasting sets, the Frenchman defeated Hamad Medjedovic 7-6(8), 6-2, during which the ninth seed trailed 1/5 in the first-set tie-break and saved four set points before stealing the opener. Mpetshi Perricard, 22, hammered 15 aces and won 83 per cent (34/41) of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to advance.

Mpetshi Perricard will next play Buyunchaokete or Botic van de Zandschulp at the ATP 250. Rain suspended play for the evening when the Dutchman led 'Bu' 6-3, 4-3.

Home favourite Sebastian Korda continued his comeback in convincing fashion. The 25-year-old, who is competing in his first tournament since Roland Garros due to a right shin stress fracture, downed Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1, 6-4.

“I think it was a great match. We played earlier in the year, so I took a few tactics from that match,” said Korda, who leads Kecmanovic 2-1 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. “I thought I executed pretty well, came to net quite a bit and tried to stay aggressive. Miomir is an unbelievable returner, so a high first-serve percentage was crucial today and I think I served pretty well.”

Into the last four, the 11th seed Korda faces Marton Fucsovics, who beat Jaume Munar 7-5, 6-3 to claim his 100th tour-level hard-court win. The 33-year-old is the first Hungarian man in the Open Era to achieve that feat.

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