(WS News) – One wild card from Serbia is guaranteed to advance to the finals of the Belgrade Open, as Laslo Djere and Hamad Medjedovic won Thursday and advanced to face each other in the semifinals.
Djere, ranked No. 141 in the world, took down Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 6-4, 6-2, by firing 12 aces and saving the only break point he faced. Medjedovic, ranked No. 156, also prevailed 6-4, 6-2 over No. 3 seed Francisco Cerundolo, as the home underdog hit five aces, controlled his first serves and broke the Argentine’s service four times.
The other semifinal will pit Czech fourth seed Jiri Lehecka against Canadian qualifier Denis Shapovalov. Lehecka rallied past Slovakia’s Lukas Klein 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3, while Shapovalov downed Australian Christopher O’Connell 6-2, 6-2.
Moselle Open
No. 8 seed Alex Michelsen charged back to defeat China’s Yunchaokete Bu 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-4 in the quarterfinals in Metz, France.
The 20-year-old American saved 7 of 9 break points and had 10 aces among his 40 winners to defeat Bu, despite also committing more unforced errors (43 to 37). Michelsen, who has three career runner-up finishes on the ATP Tour without a victory, is the only seeded player left standing.
He will face French qualifier Benjamin Bonzi, who defeated countryman Quentin Halys 6-3, 7-6 (1). Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie outlasted Belgium’s Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-1. In the semis, Norrie will face France’s Corentin Moutet, who was a walkover when No. 1 seed Andrey Rublev withdrew earlier this week to tend to an injury before the Nitto ATP Finals.
