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Sam Querrey overcame a shaky first set to stop the run of surging 18-year-old American Taylor Fritz 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinal at Acapulco late Thursday night.
Querrey, the winner in Delray Beach on Sunday, was broken twice and dominated early by the young Fritz who made the Memphis finals earlier this month. But Querrey secured a late break in the second and kept control in the third to get the win.
While Fritz will become the highest ranked 18-year-old in the Top 100 on Monday, Querrey moves on to face the in-form Dominic Thiem who topped Grigor Dimitrov 7-5, 6-2 in an electric first time meetings.
“Breaking him in the first game of the second set was maybe the deciding moment of this match,” Thiem said. “The key of this match was to win the first set. I started to play better and better and the momentum swung to my side.
“Of course if you’re a set and a break up,” he said. “You think you have momentum on your side but there’s still a very long way to go. My opinion is that Grigor is an unbelievable player with a beautiful game. I hope in the near future we are at the top together.”
Since a third round loss at the Australian Open to David Goffin, Thiem has won 11 of his last 12 matches with titles in
Dimitrov gave Thiem a small opening on the forehand – and the Austrian took it. A stunning pass. https://t.co/HdU6BDOOO6
— TennisTV (@TennisTV) February 26, 2016
In the first semifinal tomorrow, Alexandr Dolgopolov battles Bernard Tomic for a 10th time with the Ukranian ahead 6-3.
“I’ll try to do the same as all the other matches I’ve played here,” Dolgopolov said. “I played aggressive here today and that’s what I need to do tomorrow.
“We’ve played a lot of times, he’s a tricky player. He slices well, he plays all around the court, serves well and breaks up your rhythm. I think it will be on my racquet because I risk a bit more than him in general.”
In the women’s semifinals, Dominika Cibulkova clashes with Christina McHale and in the other it’s Sloane Stephens against Yanina Wickmayer.
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