Paris (AFP)
The young French Ugo Humbert (34th) obtained two match points but gave in to the tie-break of the decisive set against the Canadian Milos Raonic (17th) 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7) in the quarter-finals of the Masters 1000 in Paris on Friday.
At 22, Humbert, winner of his first two trophies this season, in Auckland in January and in Antwerp ten days ago, despite 2020 largely turned upside down by the Covid-19 pandemic, was running after a first half. Masters 1000 final.
The left-hander from Lorraine led 5 points to 1, then 6 to 4 in the decisive game of the third set before losing it 9 to 7, on a final ace, the 25th, from his Canadian opponent.
On his first match point, he finally cracked after an exchange of thirty shots approached timidly.
For a place in the final, Raonic will face Russian Daniil Medvedev (5th) on Saturday, scorer of Argentinian Diego Schwartzman (9th) 6-3, 6-1 earlier in the day.
Humbert saw his streak of eight consecutive victories come to an end.
He remained on three physically demanding matches in the Parisian hall, including two won in the tie-break of the third set, against the young Norwegian Casper Ruud (27th), then the world No.6 Stefanos Tsitsipas in 3:17.
This was the second victory of his young career at the expense of a top 10 member.
Quickly broken in the first set against Raonic, the young Frenchman seemed to have started physically and with heavy legs after the efforts he has made in recent weeks.
However, he found liveliness in his movements and percussion in his strikes in the second set.
He even got three break points in a row on Raonic's serve in the third set.
But the great Canadian server dismissed them, and the two players ended up deciding after more than 2h15 of play.
His pretty Parisian career will nevertheless allow Humbert to enter the top 30 for the first time. He was the last Frenchman in the race at Bercy.
© 2020 AFP