Metz (AFP)
Lucas Pouille, 26th World Player, qualified for the semi-finals of the ATP tournament in Metz, in the company of Benoît Paire, and could face for a place in the final his compatriot Jo-Wilfied Tsonga.
Puppet, who was on the first lap, had to work to overcome the Serbian Filip Krajinovic (49) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 after almost two hours of play (1:59).
The 25-year-old Frenchman did not serve as well in the first ball as his opponent (58% against 73), but he was better able to turn them into points (73% against 66). And as he was more efficient in return for service, he was able to validate his ticket for the last four.
Earlier, Benoit Paire, 30, who had suffered against Richard Gasquet (41st) in the second round, was pushed in his last retentions only in the first set in the decisive game (7 / 4) before concluding the game more smoothly 7-6, 6-4 in 79 minutes against another French, the guest Gregory Barrere (98) who led 4-0 at the beginning of the match.
Saturday, in the semifinals, Pair, author of 14 aces Friday and already winner this season in Marrakech and Lyon, will face the Slovenian Aljaz Bedene (76), who eliminated the Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta 6-4, 7-5.
The Frenchman will have every interest to heal his throw into play since Bedene, also aged 30, was very successful in the service Friday with 93% points scored on his first ball. He also remains on a success at the US Open before Pair even if it leads 4-2 their confrontations.
The final quarter-final pits Tsonga against Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, world No. 17 seeded N.2.
© 2019 AFP