Reuters
Shintaro Mochizuki [Source: Reuters]
Shintaro Mochizuki continued his dream run at home Friday with a 7-5, 2-6, 7-5 quarterfinal victory over Australia’s Alexei Popyrin at the Japan Open in Tokyo.
The 20-year-old Mochizuki, ranked No. 215 in the world, had never won an ATP Tour match before this week but will face Russia’s Aslan Karatsev in the semifinals of the ATP 500 event. Mochizuki won 25 of 32 points at the net, fired 23 forehand winners and withstood 21 aces from Popyrin.
Karatsev reached the final quartet with a 6-3, 6-2 win over No. 4 seed Alex De Minaur of Australia.
The other semifinal is an all-American affair between Ben Shelton and qualifier Marcos Giron. Shelton defeated fifth-seeded compatriot Tommy Paul 7-6 (4), 6-3, and Giron upended No. 8 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada 6-1, 6-4.
No seeded players remain after No. 2 seed Adrian Mannarino of France and No. 3 seed Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands bowed out in Stockholm.
Playing on a protected ranking, Gael Monfils defeated fellow Frenchman Mannarino 7-5, 7-6 (3). Russian qualifier Pavel Kotov saved all seven break points he faced and beat Griekspoor 7-6 (4), 6-2.
Serbia’s Laslo Djere beat Czech foe Tomas MacHac 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-4, and another Serbian, Miomir Kecmanovic, advanced when Sweden’s Elias Ymer retired down 6-0, 3-2.
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