SHANGHAI: Grigor Dimitrov marched into the Shanghai Masters semi-finals with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 defeat of Chile’s Nicolas Jarry on Friday to close on a first ATP title in six years.
The 18th seed from Bulgaria will play Russia’s Andrey Rublev who beat Ugo Humbert of France 6-2, 6-3 for a place in Sunday’s final.
Ranked seventh, Rublev is the only player from the world’s top 10 still in the draw after a series of shocks saw the leading seeds all ousted.
There was little to choose between Dimitrov and 22nd seed Jarry in the first set but the Bulgarian upped the ante in the tie break, racing into a 5-1 and then 6-2 lead.
The 32-year-old, who is pursuing a first ATP title since winning the ATP Finals in 2017, sealed the deal on the first set point when Jarry poked a tentative backhand into the net.
Dimitrov, who stunned top seed Carlos Alcaraz in the last 16, broke Jarry in the seventh game of the second set before requiring brief treatment on his right shoulder.
It failed to stop him, however, and he closed out on his first match point in one hour and 39 minutes.
In Saturday’s other semi-final, Poland’s 16th seed Hubert Hurkacz faces 26th-seeded American Sebastian Korda. Agencies
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