Kecmanovic Beats Fucsovics, Rain In Doha; View Friday Schedule

#NextGenATP star Miomir Kecmanovic secured his place in the semi-finals of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open before rain washed out the remainder of play on Thursday in Doha. Kecmanovic raced to 6-2, 6-0 win over Hungarian qualifier Marton Fucsovics in 56 minutes. 

“It was pretty good timing. Good thing that I was able to finish before this happened,” said Kecmanovic. “I’m feeling good. I’m playing good. Hopefully I can keep it up.”

The 20-year-old Serbian has yet to drop a set this week, including a second-round win over 2012 Doha champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Wednesday. Kecmanovic, who finished 2019 with a semi-final run at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan (l. to Sinner), said his off-season training in Dubai with Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Karen Khachanov has already made a difference. 

“It was definitely a good group of guys to practise with,” he said. “And I definitely think I’ve maybe sped up my game a little bit because they take time away for you so much. I think I’ve kind of got a little bit used to it and maybe it’s now a little bit easier to play against some of the other guys.

“But it’s definitely something I still have to work on and definitely something that will, if I can, let’s say perfect or let’s say be my normal game, that I could take it far if that happens.”

Kecmanovic awaits the winner between second-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev and Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, who will resume their quarter-final match on Friday. Kecmanovic prevailed against Herbert in a third-set tie-break last year at the Citi Open, but has never faced the 22-year-old Rublev at the tour level.

“I played him a long time ago in juniors, but I haven’t played him since then,” he said. “It would definitely be an exciting match, but he still has to win tomorrow…. I’m definitely looking forward to coming out again and to playing my best game.”

ORDER OF PLAY – FRIDAY, 10 JANUARY 2020

CENTER COURT start 1:00 pm
[Q] C. Moutet (FRA) vs F. Verdasco (ESP) 
[1] S. Wawrinka (SUI) vs A. Bedene (SLO) 00
M. Kecmanovic (SRB) vs P. Herbert (FRA) or [2] A. Rublev (RUS) 
[1] S. Wawrinka (SUI) or A. Bedene (SLO) vs [Q] C. Moutet (FRA) or F. Verdasco (ESP) 

COURT 1 start 12:30 pm
P. Herbert (FRA) vs [2] A. Rublev (RUS) 11
Possible Court Change – F. Nielsen (DEN) / T. Puetz (GER) or L. Bambridge (GBR) / S. Gonzalez (MEX) vs [3] R. Bopanna (IND) / W. Koolhof (NED) or [2] H. Kontinen (FIN) / F. Skugor (CRO) 
COURT 2 start 12:30 pm
F. Nielsen (DEN) / T. Puetz (GER) vs L. Bambridge (GBR) / S. Gonzalez (MEX) 62 02

COURT 3 start 12:30 pm
[3] R. Bopanna (IND) / W. Koolhof (NED) vs [2] H. Kontinen (FIN) / F. Skugor (CRO) 00