Second seed David Goffin beat Lorenzo Sonego 6-4 6-4 after 87 minutes to advance to his third career semifinal at the Open Sud de France in Montpellier.
Goffin is a match away from reaching the 14th final of his career. The Belgian player reached the semifinal at the Antalya Open last January.
Goffin earned an early break to 30 in the opening game and saved a break point in the sixth game to hold his serve. The Belgian player held his next two service games to close out the first set 6-4.
Sonego got his first break in the second game of the second set at deuce with a crosscourt forehand, but Goffin broke straight back to draw level to 2-2. Goffin went up a double break at 30 in the seventh game, as Sonego hit his forehand into the net. Sonego saved a match point with a forehand down the line before holding serve with a drop-shot to claw his way back to 4-5. Sonego saved a second match point in the 10th game, as Goffin sent his crosscourt forehand out. Goffin sealed the win on his third match point with a forehand to reach his second semifinal in 2021.
Goffin set up a semifinal against Egor Gerasimov, who beat the Belgian player 6-4 7-6 (7-5) at the 2020 Open 13 in Marseille in their only previous head-to-head match.
Egor Gerasimov came back from one set down to beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 4-6 6-4 7-5. Davidovich Fokina saved three break points to hold his serve in the second game. The young Spanish player converted his third break point at deuce in the ninth game to win the first set 6-4.
Both players traded breaks in the second and third games of the second set. Gerasimov got his second break at love in the sixth game and saved two break points in the seventh game to hold serve after four deuces for 5-2. Davidovich Fokina broke back in the ninth game at deuce from 40-15 down to claw his back to 4-5. Gerasimov converted his third break point to win the second set 6-4.
Davidovich Fokina broke serve at 30 to take a 2-1 lead in the third set, but Gerasimov broke straight back to draw level to draw level to 2-2. Davidovich Fokina saved a break point to hold serve after two deuces but Gerasimov converted his second break point at deuce in the 12th game to close out the third set 7-5.
German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk eased past Dennis Novak 6-4 6-1 with breaks of serve. Novak saved two break points in the fifth and seventh games, but Gojowczyk converted his third break point in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead. Gojowczyk served out the first set on the fifth deuce after saving a break point. Gojowczyk went up a 4-0 lead with a double break in the third set. Novak held his first service game on the second deuce after saving two break points. Gojowczyk earned his third break at deuce from 15-40 down to close out the second set 6-1.