Tiafoe Upsets Kecmanovic For Nur-Sultan Quarter-final Spot
Frances Tiafoe powered into his second ATP Tour quarter-final of the year on Wednesday at the Astana Open. The 22-year-old American lost just five of his first-service points to upset second-seeded Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic 7-5, 6-3 in 81 minutes.
Tiafoe, who also reached the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com last eight (l. to Humbert) in February, lost four points on serve in the second set. Kecmanovic captured his first ATP Tour title last month at the Generali Open in Kitzbühel (d. Hanfmann).
Tiafoe will next play Belarusian Egor Gerasimov, who avenged his 2020 Tata Open Maharashtra final loss to Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic with hard-fought 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over in one hour and 50 minutes. Gerasimov struck 14 aces for a place in his second ATP Tour quarter-final of the season (also Open 13 Provence in February).
Elsewhere, one break of serve in each set was enough for fourth-seeded Australian John Millman in a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Fernando Verdasco of Spain. In the Nur-Sultan quarter-finals, Millman now challenges American Tommy Paul, the seventh seed, who swept past Radu Albot of Moldova 6-4, 6-0 in 72 minutes.
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