
The focus may have been on Kyle Edmund and James Ward this week, as they played on clay to acclimatise for the tie against Belgium, but there is another Brit who is making waves this week. It is the man who played as the second singles player against Australia, Dan Evans.
Bratislava: Egor Gerasimov, ranked 324, is a name more commonly found among Futures draws. Yet the young man fromBelarus has upset the form card in every round this week. From shocking seeds Lukas Rosol (1) and Norbert Gombos (6), he has played above his ranking at every stage. It continued today, with a win over a similarly in form Marius Copil, who had accounted for Jan Lennard-Struff (3) and Edouard Roger Vasselin (8). The score was 7-6, 2-6, 6-2. Gerasimov will face fourth seed Lukas Lacko in the final after he edged second seed Ilya Marchenko 6-4, 3-6, 7-6.
Final Preview: Lacko vs Gerasimov. It has to be the end for Gerasimov. Doesn’t it? Lacko in straight sets.
Mouilleron: Four Frenchman in the semi-finals has been cut to two in the final, Benoit Paire overcame a poor second set to defeat veteran Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-2, 1-6, 6-1. The other side saw Lucas Pouille enjoy a bagel in a 6-0, 7-6 win over Adrian Mannarino.
Final Preview: Paire vs Pouille. Paire’s top level is better than Pouille’s but the younger man is more consistent. Paire in three (not close) sets.
Ortisei: A predictable field, with the form producing the top three seeds, one unseeded player in the semi-finals. Top seed Ricardas Berankis quickly dispatched the unseeded Laslo Djere 6-3, 6-2. Rajeev Ram caused the most minor of upsets, the third seed defeating the second seeded Evgeny Donskoy 6-3, 6-4.
Final Preview: Berankis vs Ram. Berankis has to be the favourite. Berankis in straight sets.
Buenos Aires: British fans will be heartened to know that Kyle Edmund shows no sign of letting up on clay, as he beat Horacio Zeballos 7-5, 6-0. The young Briton must surely now be considered the favourite to join Andy Murray in the Davis Cup singles. He will play veteran Carlos Berlocq in the final, as the clay specialist from the home nation benefited form the retirement of Chilean Christian Garin. Berlocq was leading by a set and a double break at the time.
Final preview: Berlocq is a tour veteran who is immensely experienced on clay. However, his ranking has plummeted out of the Top 100 this year. Edmund in three sets.
Kobe: John Millman continues to tear through the field. The top seed needed just fifty-five minute to thrash seventh seed Yoshihito Nishioka 6-0, 6-1. He will face Taro Daniel in the final, as the fourth seed edged Konstantin Kravchuk 7-6, 6-4.
Final Preview: Millman has been unstoppable this week, and Daniel has little hope of upsetting the odds. Millman in straight sets.
Knoxville: Frances Tiafoe is looking to become yet another American teen to win his maiden Challenger title. He has the chance to emulate both Taylor Fritz and Noah Rubin after he beat Dennis Novikov 6-4, 6-4. His opponent in the final will be Dan Evans, who beat Jared Donaldson 6-3, 6-4, boosting his unlikely chances of making the Davis Cup singles team.
Final Preview: Tiafoe is by far more consistent, but Evans on his day has proven able to beat the very best. Tiafoe in straight sets.