Tennis roundup: Fritz progresses to ATP Atlanta semi-final; Akugue reaches WTA final on 1st time in main draw

Top-seeded Taylor Fritz powered past former world number four Kei Nishikori to progress to the semi-finals of the ATP Atlanta Open, while German teenager and wild card Noma Noha Akugue has reached the final at Hamburg Open.

Fritz powered defeated Nishikori 6-4, 6-2 on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the ATP Atlanta Open.

Fritz, ranked ninth in the world, reached his seventh tour-level semi-final of the season with his first career win in four meetings with Nishikori.

Related Articles

Ultimate Table Tennis: Goa Challengers pip Chennai Lions 8-7 to win fourth season

Tennis Premier League: Mumbai Leon Army rope in Sonu Sood as brand ambassador

Nishikori was playing his first ATP event since 2021 as he returns from left hip surgery in January 2022.

“I’m super happy how I played today, getting better and better each day I feel like,” Fritz said in his post-match on-court interview.

“A lot of positives I can take into the next match. Kei has been around since I first started. He’s an incredible player and a great guy.

“I’m just happy to see him back playing again, having good results and hitting the ball well after being injured for so long,” added Fritz, who had lost three prior meetings with Nishikori but hadn’t played him since 2019.

Nishikori, owner of 12 ATP titles and runner-up at the US Open in 2014, launched his comeback this season on the lower tier Challenger Tour, capturing the title at the Caribbean Open Challenger in Puerto Rico in June.

He arrived in Atlanta ranked 439th in the world and posted victories over Australian Jordan Thompson and China’s Shang Juncheng to reach the quarter-finals.

But he and Fritz held serve with ease through the first five games, Fritz finally pouncing on the first break point of the match to pocket the first set after 34 minutes.

Nishikori, who appeared to be struggling somewhat with his movement around court, received treatment on his left knee during a medical time out between sets, and after dropping serve in the second game could never get back on terms.

Fritz, who is seeking a second title of the season after winning the fifth of his career at Delray Beach in February, will face eighth-seeded American JJ Wolf for a place in the final.

Wolf beat Germany’s Dominik Koepfer 6-2, 6-3.

There was a blow to local favourite Christopher Eubanks who, after a two-hour rain delay, lost 6-4, 6-4 to Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic.

The 27-year-old Vukic reaches an ATP Tour semi-final for the first time after punishing the unforced errors from Wimbledon quarter-finalist Eubanks, who was born in Atlanta.

Akugue channels Osaka in fairytale Hamburg final run

Akugue said she drew inspiration from Naomi Osaka’s 2018 US Open victory as her fairytale run continued to the Hamburg Open final. Wild card Akugue, ranked 207 in the world and playing in her first WTA main draw event, said she was “speechless” after winning through 6-3, 6-3 against Diana Shnaider on Friday to set up a meeting with Dutch seventh seed Arantxa Rus.

Akugue, born in Hamburg to Nigerian parents, broke her fellow 19-year-old twice in the first set and once in the second.

Demonstrating poise and calm she blocked her Russian opponent from converting any of six break points.

After her quarter-final win over former French Open semi-finalist Martina Trevisan on Thursday, Akugue said she tried to keep her emotions under control, playing tennis “with a poker face”.

Speaking later on Friday, Akugue said she drew inspiration from four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka.

“She’s also an aggressive player. She’s similar to me, that’s why I like her,” Akugue told wtatennis.com.

“It’s also important to see a Black woman in tennis — Serena as well of course. It’s good for young players.”

Akugue said on court after the match “a week ago I didn’t know if I would get a wild card”, adding she “could not believe” her run had continued to “my first final”.

“I hope I can keep playing my best tennis in the final.”

Rus booked her spot in the final after coming from a set down to defeat Australian Daria Saville.

Rus, 32, lost the first set 6-2 but rallied to win the next two 6-3, 6-1 on the Hamburg clay.

Rus hit a career high world number 60 after her quarter-final win over German Eva Lys on Thursday, one spot higher than the 61 she reached more than a decade ago in 2012.

Ruud crashes out 

In the men’s side of the draw, number one seed Casper Ruud crashed out in straight sets to French teenager Arthur Fils.

Fils burst out of the blocks, winning the first set 6-0 and the second 6-4, withstanding a fightback from the world number four.

Fils credited his “good tactics” for the win.

“He makes you run a lot. My goal was to play a lot of forehands and play a lot on his backhand, and I did it really well today.”

The 19-year-old will meet Alexander Zverev in the semis.

World number 19 Zverev, who like Akugue was born and raised in Hamburg, defeated France’s Luca Van Assche, 6-3, 6-4, to make the last four of the tournament for the third time.

Serbian Laslo Djere defeated titleholder Lorenzo Musetti of Italy, setting up a meeting with China’s Zhang Zhizhen.

World number 57 Djere won in straight sets 7-5, 6-3 against the 2022 Hamburg Open winner and third seed.

The 28-year-old, who has won two previous titles on clay, will face Zhang, who defeated Daniel Altmaier.

Zhang, ranked 79 in the world, won 6-4, 6-4 after breaking the German once in each set on the way to his first ATP semi-finals.