Defending champion Richard Gasquet has reached the semifinals of the Open de Sud France by beating Marcos Baghdatis 6-4 6-4.
Both players held their service games until 3-3 when Gasquet broke serve. Gasquet, who lost his previous three head-to-head matches against Baghdatis in straight sets, finally managed to take his first set against the Cypriot. Gasquet broke serve in the first game of the second set but Baghdatis broke back in the next game. Gasquet got the decisive break in the seventh game and held his next two service games to wrap up the second set after 1 hour and 26 minutes.
German 18-year-old Alexander Zverev fought back from a set down to edge past his 35-year-old compatriot Michael Berrer 6-7 (2-7) 6-2 7-5 in 2 hours and 43 minutes. Berrer won the tie-break of the first set 7-2. Zverev broke serve twice to win the second set 6-2 forcing the match to the decider.
Zverev recovered from a break down in the third set. Berrer saved three match points at 4-5 in the 10th game before Zverev broke him at 6-5 on his fifth match point in the 12th game to clinch the win.
Zverev will take on 34-year-old veteran Paul Henry Mathieu who overcame John Millman 7-6 (5-7) 5-7 6-3. Mathieu fired 17 aces and fended off 8 of the 10 break points he faced. Mathieu won the first set 7-5 at the tie-break but Millman forced the match to the decider by winning the second set 7-5. Mathieu got the decisive break in the sixth game of the third set to win the third set 6-3.
“I am really happy with the win today. It was a tough match against John. He is a good fighter and he made it tough until the last point. I am happy to be playing tomorrow”, said Mathieu.
