Fish reaches semis at Florida tennis
Sunday, 1 March 2009
FLORIDA, Feb 28(AFP): Top-seeded American Mardy Fish clinched a spot in semi-finals of the ATP Delray Beach International Tennis Championships with a 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/4) win over Florent Serra of France.
In search of his first title since tasting victory at Houston in April 2006, the 21st- ranked Fish faced his first test at the 500,000-dollar hardcourt event. He has yet to drop a set.
The 27-year-old Fish, who is the only top-50 player left in the draw, registered nine aces and no double faults in recording the win in one hour, 28 minutes.
Serra, who turns 28 Saturday, was unable to give himself an early birthday present. He lost for the second time in two meetings with Fish, who is looking to become the first American to win on home soil since journeyman Jan-Michael Gambill in 2003 when he defeated Fish.
Seventh-seeded Jeremy Chardy ended the run of Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis by winning a pair of tiebreakers en route to a 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/3) victory.
Each player broke serve twice during the match, but the Frechman outlasted Baghdatis in one hour, 49 minutes to set up a meeting with Fish.
The 22-year-old Chardy is through to the semi-finals for the second time this season after he reached the final in Johannesburg before losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
In the other semi-final, an unlikely duo will face off for the chance to capture their first ATP title.
Russian qualifier Evgeny Korolev cruised past Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-2 in only 55 minutes. Korolev blasted seven aces to zero double faults while converting on 5-of-9 break chances to secure the win.
In search of his first title since tasting victory at Houston in April 2006, the 21st- ranked Fish faced his first test at the 500,000-dollar hardcourt event. He has yet to drop a set.
The 27-year-old Fish, who is the only top-50 player left in the draw, registered nine aces and no double faults in recording the win in one hour, 28 minutes.
Serra, who turns 28 Saturday, was unable to give himself an early birthday present. He lost for the second time in two meetings with Fish, who is looking to become the first American to win on home soil since journeyman Jan-Michael Gambill in 2003 when he defeated Fish.
Seventh-seeded Jeremy Chardy ended the run of Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis by winning a pair of tiebreakers en route to a 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/3) victory.
Each player broke serve twice during the match, but the Frechman outlasted Baghdatis in one hour, 49 minutes to set up a meeting with Fish.
The 22-year-old Chardy is through to the semi-finals for the second time this season after he reached the final in Johannesburg before losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
In the other semi-final, an unlikely duo will face off for the chance to capture their first ATP title.
Russian qualifier Evgeny Korolev cruised past Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-2 in only 55 minutes. Korolev blasted seven aces to zero double faults while converting on 5-of-9 break chances to secure the win.