Zverev Beats Bellucci, Will Play Robredo in Bastad Semifinals

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Zverev Beats Bellucci, Will Play Robredo in Bastad Semifinals

By Alberto Amalfi | Friday, July 24, 2015

Eighteen-year-old Alexander Zverev beat No. 6 seeded Thomaz Bellucci, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, to reach his second career ATP semifinal in Bastad.

Photo credit: SkiStar Swedish Open/Fredric Berggren

Semifinal day will be a Bastad battle of the ages.

Eighteen-year-old Alexander Zverev outdueled sixth-seeded Thomaz Bellucci, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, surging into his second career ATP semifinal on the red clay of Bastad.

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The talented German is the tournament's youngest semifinalist. He will face the oldest man still standing in the field, 33-year-old Tommy Robredo, for a spot in Sunday's final.

The second-seeded Spaniard played with patience and precision deconstructing qualifier Paul-Henri Mathieu, 6-3, 6-3, in 77 minutes.

Defending champion Pablo Cuevas raised his Bastad record to 9-1 with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Steve Darcis. The third-seeded Cuevas will play Benoit Paire in the semifinals. Paire defeated Denis Istomin, 6-4, 6-2, in 58 minutes.

A two-time former Bastad champion, Robredo denied all five break points he faced—with all five coming in the first set—and was not challenged on serve in the second set despite serving just 44 percent. Robredo broke for a 4-2 second-set lead, quickly consolidating.

Serving for his first semifinal of the season, Robredo closed with a flourish slicing an ace so severely the ball bounded into the crowd then banging his second straight ace out wide to raise his Bastad record to 30-12.

Zverev showed stubborn spirit, fighting off 13 of 18 break points in the day's first quarterfinal. Zverev faced twice as many break points as his opponent, scoring his second win over the Brazilian in a month. Zverev beat Bellucci on the grass of Nottingham last month, 6-7 (7), 6-3, 6-4.

"Well, he played unbelievable the first two sets, really," Zverev said. "I really played well as well, I thought, especially in the first set. And then he turned it around after me being up, 3-0. So I knew I just had to be in the match somehow and then use my chances really well. I'm really happy that I got through. "

The 123rd-ranked German knocked off his second straight seeded opponent, following his 6-4, 6-2, sweep of fourth-seeded Juan Monaco on Wednesday.

A year ago, Zverev reached his maiden ATP semifinal in Hamburg, falling to David Ferrer. The lanky six-foot-six baseliner is hoping to go a step further in Bastad and concedes his game is a work in progress.

"[I need to improve] everything, really, especially my physical part of the game," Zverev said. "I'm quite tall so it's really hard to build up muscle. But also my tennis game, everything, from the forehand and backhand to the serve to the volleys. Everything has to be improved to be up there with the top guys."