Briton Daniel Evans has made it to the semifinals of the National Bank Open in Montreal by beating American Tommy Paul in three sets 6-1, 6-3 and 6-4 on Friday.
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It might not have been the dream poster for this quarterfinal match, but the two tennis players in the Top 40 put on an excellent show. Their exchanges, while surprising, made the crowd, who were beginning to get to know them, react.
Evans, the 39th-ranked ATP player, showed plenty of character after enduring a tough first run. The 32-year-old veteran roared for his winning shots and got his hands on the second set thanks to the only break of the set.
Mostly frustrated at the net at the start of the game (success rate 57%), the winner changed his style of play and used Kraft to force his rival into a foul. The latter had an impressive tally of 41 wins versus 17 for Evans but was less consistent in the second half.
The Brit brilliantly saved two break points in game eight of the final set, eventually ending the hold dispute two games later.
“He missed a couple of shots in the third inning and I didn’t let go and put pressure on him after that,” Evans explained after the game.
Winner of a single career title at the ATP circuit in Melbourne in 2021, he reached only the second time in a Category 1000 tournament semifinals. He also continued his journey in doubles in Montreal.
“I’m happy. Those who tell you not to think about the semifinals are lying to you. […] That’s what we play for in moments like these,” he added.
A worthy journey
Paul, who had failed in the first round to Canada’s Vasek Pospisil, had continued by eliciting a result from the second seed, young Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz. Full of confidence after this win, he then had no trouble getting rid of Croatian Marin Cilic on Thursday.
All the security in the American’s game was brought up again against Evans in the first set. Aiming for corners with powerful forehands, he broke for the first time in the fourth game, but with a bit of luck he managed a second steal of service before the end of the first set thanks to a ball bouncing off the net. . . He sailed easily to the 6:1 result.
“I didn’t think he could keep up that pace. If he had, I would have walked over to shake his hand. I don’t feel like it really should have ended 6-1, but he was too strong,” Evans said.
In the next round he plays against the veteran Pablo Carreno-Busta. The Spaniard came into his own after a hard-fought first set and later on Friday night defeated British qualifier Jack Draper in straight sets 7-6 (4) 6-1.