Verdasco To Meet Haase In Dubai SFs
Fernando Verdasco clinched his first victory over Gael Monfils 6-3, 7-5 to advance to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semi-finals on Thursday.
Fourth seed Monfils had won their previous three FedEx ATP Head2Head encounters, but the 33 year old, also a semi-finalist in Doha this season (l. Djokovic), won 81 per cent of first serve points to dictate play.
The Spaniard led 6-3, 5-3 before a rain delay on Monfils’ serve. Upon resumption, the World No. 12 broke to level the second set, before Verdasco claimed the last six points to serve out victory at the second attempt and to edge into the final four.
“I think I played almost the perfect match. Maybe I could have been a little bit more aggressive on my serve, but it was not easy after the rain delay,” said Verdasco. “Gael makes it difficult, he’s a super-solid player. I’m very happy to be here, and I will try my best to win one more match and to be in the final.”
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He will meet Robin Haase, who booked a spot in the first ATP World Tour 500 semi-final of his career after he beat Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in one hour and 51 minutes. The Dutchman is through to the last four of a tour-level event for the first time since July 2016, when he advanced to the J. Safra Sarasin Swiss Open Gstaad final (l. to Lopez).
World No. 1 Andy Murray, who lost to seven-time Dubai champion Roger Federer in the 2012 final, takes on Philipp Kohlschreiber in the night session. Seventh seed Lucas Pouille meets Federer’s conqueror, qualifier Evgeny Donskoy, in the final match of day four.