Dimitrov, Rublev Roll On To Shanghai Masters SFs; Korda v Hurkacz

The final four at the Shanghai Masters is set, and while the last men standing are not top stars of the game, three of the four have won Masters events before.

Today, Andrey Rublev and Grigor Dimitrov advanced to a Saturday showdown.

Rublev rolled past the 32nd-seeded Ugo Humbert in straight sets 6-2, 6-3 in impressive fashion.

The Russian dominated on the Frenchman’s breaking five times in 10 tries. Humbert tried to make a match of it in the second breaking back early to level, but the Russian took the last four games from 3-2 down. He had lost to Humbert in Beijing.

“The match in Beijing, both of us played great tennis and I had chances. I was serving for the match. He was playing really well that match and I tried to analyze what I did wrong that match,” Rublev said to the ATP. “I tried to not make the same mistakes today and I did really well. I am happy to win in straight sets. I played a great match and I am happy to win today.”

Dimitrov continued his resurgent season easing past Chilean No. 1 Nicolas Jarry 7-6(7-2), 6-4. Dimitrov never faced a break point and earned the lone break of the match to go up 4-3 in the second.

“I think there were many components going the right way today,” Dimitrov told the ATP. “For me, he is one of the best servers right now. I’ve played him a couple of times, and I feel like every time it gets tougher and tougher to return against him. In the most important moments, I was able to be just solid, nothing else.

“I don’t think I did anything crazy in those moments, I just kept on believing in my game, kept going after my shots. You don’t get many opportunities against him, especially in the beginning it’s very difficult because he doesn’t give you any rhythm… I was trying to apply pressure with the hope that he might make a few mistakes, and he did.”

Dimitrov is into his 9th Masters semifinal, Rublev his 5th. The two have split six meetings on tour. Dimitrov came out ahead in their last contest in the second round in Vienna last year.

“It is going to be a tough match,” Rublev said of Dimitrov. “He is a friend and I like him and he is a really great player. It is really tough to beat him when he is in this form. This week he is playing really well.”

No. 16 Hubert Hurkacz also squares off against No. 26 Sebastian Korda. They are also tied but at 1-1 with Korda winning most recently in Melbourne in January.

There will be a new Shanghai champion this year. Rublev (2023 Monte Carlo), Hurkacz (2021 Miami) and Dimitrov (2017 Cincinnati) have won Masters titles before. Korda is playing his first Masters semifinal.

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