RICKY DIMON LOOKS @ MEN’S ATP TENNIS TOUR FROM VIENNA, MOSCOW, AND STOCKHOLM: TOMIC, GULBIS WIN IN THIRD-SET TIEBREAKERS

Written by: Staff on 17th October 2014

RICKY DIMON LOOKS @ MEN'S ATP TENNIS TOUR FROM VIENNA, MOSCOW, AND STOCKHOLM: TOMIC, GULBIS WIN IN THIRD-SET TIEBREAKERS

epa04451072 Ernests Gulbis of Latvia in action against Andreas Seppi of Italy during their quarter-final match at the Kremlin Cup tennis tournament in Moscow, Russia, 17 October 2014. EPA/MAXIM SHIPENKOV |

Bernard Tomic’s first tournament with Xavier Malisse in his coaching corner continued on Friday with a 0-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6) win over Fernando Verdasco in the quarterfinals of the Stockholm Open. At the Kremlin Cup, meanwhile, Ernests Gulbis also prevailed in a third-set tiebreaker. The Latvian held off Andreas Seppi 7-6(6), 4-6, 7-6(3) to reach the semis.

Vienna summary

Viktor Troicki’s comeback from a one-year suspension reached new heights on Friday at the Erste Bank Open as he reached an ATP semifinal for the first time since his return. Troicki could not quite finish off Thomaz Bellucci in straight sets, but the Serb held on to get the job done 7-6(4), 6-7(2), 6-2. Next up for him is No. 2 seed Andy Murray, who took care of Jan-Lennard Struff 6-2, 7-5. Murray fired 10 aces while double-faulting just once and he won 87 percent of his first-serve points.

In the other semifinal, David Ferrer and Philipp Kohlschreiber will wage a rematch of a Cincinnati thriller in which Ferrer saved two match points in the second set before prevailing in a third-set tiebreaker. The Spaniard advanced on Friday in Vienna by taking down Ivo Karlovic 7-6(5), 6-4. Ferrer faced no break points and withstood 17 Karlovic aces. Kohlschreiber defeated Benjamin Becker 6-4, 7-6(3).

Moscow summary

Another installment of what is a heated rivalry between Gulbis and Roberto Bautista Agut will take place on Saturday. Gulbis won eight fewer points in his win over Seppi, but he won the ones that mattered most while firing 17 aces. Bautista Agut had an easier time with Ricardas Berankis, who had upset No. 1 Milos Raonic in the second round. The Spaniard prevailed 7-5, 6-3 and saved 12 of 13 break points in the process.

Marin Cilic and Mikhail Youzhny also earned victories on Friday. Cilic, the reigning U.S. Open champion, rolled over Tommy Robredo 6-3, 6-3 while striking 10 aces and breaking serve four times. The Croat cannot move up from No. 8 in the world this week, but he is gaining points in an effort to clinch a World Tour Finals berth. Kukushkin disappointed the home crowd by knocking out Russia’s own Mikhail Youzhny 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-0.

Stockholm summary

Bernard Tomic of Australia returns the ball to Feliciano Lopez of Spain during their first round match at the BNP Paribas 2013 Masters tennis tournament in Paris, France, 28 October 2013. EPA/YOAN VALAT

Bernie Tomic , Tomas Berdych, Grigor Dimitrov, and Matthias Bachinger booked spots in the Stockholm semifinals, but nobody had it tougher than Tomic. The 21-year-old Australian bounced back from a first-set bagel to triumph over Verdasco in exactly two hours. Dimitrov and Bachinger also needed three sets, but not a final-set tiebreaker.

“I’m very happy with myself,” Tomic assured. “It was a very tough match. I had to turn it around in the second set, so it was very difficult for me. If you lose a set 6-0, to be able to turn it around is very important. I think he was playing very good; I had no chance. I kept trying and I had an opportunity when he played one bad game. I took it, which was important for me.”

Briefs

* Bautista Agut guarantees top 15 spot by reaching Moscow semifinals.

* Gulbis denies Seppi top 50 place, but Latvian cannot move from current 13th

* Kukushkin thwarts Youzhny’s top 25 chances, needs final to remain top 80.

* Robredo’s top 20 hopes come to an end at the hands of U.S. Open champion.

* Tomic surges into top 60, will be top 50 if he makes it to Stockholm final.

* Dimitrov overcomes Sock, must fare better than Murray this week to stay top 10.

* Berdych rolls over Copil, must win one more match to pass Nishikori for No. 6.

* Bachinger up more than 40 spots to top 160 thanks to semifinal run in Stockholm.

* Troicki’s rise continues with Vienna semifinal, needs one more win for top 100.

* Kohlschreiber dashes Becker’s top 40 hopes, will pass Gasquet for No. 22 with final.

* Struff loses to Murray but will reach top 50 unless Tomic wins Stockholm title.

* Karlovic misses out on top 30 chance with quarterfinal setback against Ferrer.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Atp, David Ferrer, Ernests Gulbis, GRIGOR DIMITROV, Moscow, Ricky Dimon, Stockholm, Tennis, Tennis News, Tomas Berdych, Vienna, Xavier Malisse

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October 17, 2014 at 6:12 pm

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RD_Tennistalk says:

October 17, 2014 at 10:44 pm

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