By Chris Oddo | Friday June 10, 2016

 

Nicolas Mahut continued his dominance at the Ricoh Open with a three-set win over Bernard Tomic.

Photo Source: Ricoh Open

Nicolas Mahut knocked off second-seeded Bernard Tomic with a come from behind 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-2 victory to reach the semifinals at the Ricoh Open on Friday.

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The two-time and defending champion cracked 12 aces and did not face a break point in the final two sets as he stormed back to knock off the No. 2-seeded Aussie.

“It is really difficult to play against Bernard on grass, so I am happy with the way I was able to come back after the first set,” Mahut said according to ATPWorldTour.com. “I served much better and the early break in the second set gave me a lot of confidence.”

Each of Mahut’s ATP finals have come on grass, and he owns a 58-33 career record on the surface with three titles.

The 34-year-old will bid to reach his sixth tour-level final on Saturday when he meets Sam Querrey in the semifinals. Querrey downed 18-year-old American Stefan Kozlov 6-3, 6-0 earlier on Friday.

Querrey (28) is the only semifinalist at ‘s-Hertogenbosch to be aged under 30. The grass hasn’t been as kind to top-seeded David Ferrer as clay has, but the Spaniard has won the title twice at ‘s-Hertogenbosch in his career (2008, 2012). It won’t happen again in 2015. Ferrer was knocked off by Gilles Muller, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) on Friday.

Muller will face hard-serving Ivo Karlovic in the semifinals. The 37-year-old raced past Adrian Mannarino behind 22 aces, 6-3, 6-4.

Muller will bid for his first ATP final on grass when he meets Karlovic for the first-time at the tour level.

“I expect him to serve some aces,” Muller said. “He’s probably the best server out there. I’ll have to do my best to put the ball in the court on my returns.”