Bengaluru, Feb 11: Qualifier Borna Gojo from Croatia continued his dream run in the Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger as he stormed into the semifinals with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over a better ranked Belgian Kimmer Coppejans. The 28-year-old will meet Frenchman Alexandre Muller in the last four encounter after the latter downed a fighting Cem Ilkel of Turkey 6-4, 7-6 (7) in another quarterfinal played at the KSLTA Stadium here on Friday.
However, there was a huge disappointment for the tournament’s top seed and hot favourite Jiri Vesely of Croatia who had to quit his quarterfinal match against his sixth seed rival Enzo Couacaud owing to severe stomach ache caused by food poisoning. Enzo had won the first set 6-4 when Jiri threw the towel in. In the second semifinals, the Frenchman will clash with young Chun-hsin Tseng of Taipei who virtually silenced qualifier Brazilian Gabriel Decamps’ challenge with a 6-4, 6-4 victory in a last-four tie.
Borna who began the match with a bang holding his serve at love, lost a bit of rhythm in the third game making three double faults which gave an advantage to his opponent. Down 3-5, Bojo who tried under-arm service as well to look for answers to the extra bounce at the KSLTA courts, then played some brilliant shots and didn’t look back, winning four games on a trot including two breaks in the 10th and 12th to pocket the opening set. In the second set, the games went with the serves as the match gained pace, literally, until Gojo broke his rival’s serve in the 10th game to book a ticket for the semifinals.
Meanwhile the third seeded pair of Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan brought cheers to the Indian camp when they defeated the Great Britain-Australia combine of Jay Clarke and Marc Polmans (AUS) 6-4, 6-4 to make it to the title round in the doubles event. They now meet the French pair of Hugo Grenier and Alexandre Muller who stunned the second seeded Austrian-Czech pair of Alexander Erler and Vit Kopriva with a 6-3, 6-4 win.
Results
Singles Quarterfinals
Q-Borna Gojo (CRO) bt Kimmer Coppejans (BEL) 7-5, 6-4; Chun-hsin Tseng (TPE) bt Q-Gabriel Decamps (BRA) 6-4, 6-4; 6-Enzo Couacaud (FRA) bt 1-Jiri Vesely (CZE) 6-4, (retd); Alexandre Muller (FRA) bt Cem Ilkel (TUR) 6-4, 7-6 (7).
Semifinal line-up
6-Enzo Couacaud (FRA) Vs. Chun-hsin Tseng (TPE); Alexandre Muller (FRA) Vs. Q-Borna Gojo (CRO)
Doubles Semifinals
3-Saketh Myneni (IND)/Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND) bt Jay Clarke (GBR)/Marc Polmans (AUS) 6-4, 6-4; Hugo Grenier (FRA)/Alexandre Muller (FRA) bt 2-Alexander Erler (AUT)/Vit Kopriva (CZE) 6-3, 6-4.
Final line-up
3-Saketh Myneni (IND)/Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND) Vs. Hugo Grenier (FRA)/Alexandre Muller (FRA)
