Aug 11 (Reuters) – American Brandon Nakashima and 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar reached their first Masters 1000 semi-finals at the Canadian Open on Tuesday, with Nakashima beating Italy’s Luciano Darderi 6-2 6-3 before Jodar defeated France’s Arthur Fils 7-6(5) 6-3.
Nakashima sent over 11 aces and offered up a subdued celebration for the career-breakthrough win in Montreal. He will meet Jodar for a place in the final after the Spaniard extended his breakthrough season with a 34th win of the year.
Nakashima, seeded 28, converted a break point in the fourth game before breaking his opponent to love to close out the first set, as the visibly frustrated Darderi’s composure unravelled.
Darderi dug in his heels in the second set but could only hold off the determined Nakashima for so long, as the American broke him on the fourth try in the penultimate game.
Nakashima sent 19th-seed Darderi skittering around the court in the final game, forcing him into an error at the net on match point and pumping his fists in celebration after the customary post-match handshake.
Jodar, meanwhile, extended his remarkable first season on tour with a composed win over Fils. He earned an early break, but Fils fought back before rain suspended play again with the Frenchman serving to stay in the first set.
Jodar took the opener in the tiebreak after the restart and carried his momentum into the second set, breaking three more times to secure the victory that will lift him to at least 11th in the rankings.
The U.S. Open tune-up tournament was without several top players, including world number one Jannik Sinner and 24-times Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, which the Professional Tennis Players Association this week blamed on players’ workload.
The men’s quarter-finals began a day late after inclement weather forced the postponement of the Monday programme.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery and Janina Nuno Rios; Editing by Ken Ferris and Christian Radnedge)
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