Pune, Jan 6 Ranked 60th in the ATP rankings, Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi stunned the 35th-ranked Biotic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands in three sets to set up a final clash with another Dutch player in Tallon Griekspoor in the men's singles section of the Tata Open Maharashtra ATP 250 tennis tournament, here on Friday.
The 26-year-old Bonzi upset the second seed, van de Zandschulp 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 6-1 in a nearly two and half hour semifinal encounter and will next meet Griekspoor, who overcome Aslan Karatsev 7-6 (4), 6-1 in the first semifinal at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi here.
Bonzi started well and broke Botic in the second game but the 27-year-old Dutch star broke back in the fifth game and held serve to level the scores at 3-3. The next few games went with serve before Bonzi won the first set in a tiebreaker.
Bonzi took an early lead in the second set too, breaking serve in the first game and holding his serve before Botic held serve in the third to make it a 2-1 lead. Botic eventually broke back in the eighth game to make it 4-4 and could have sealed the set two games later but could not convert a break point. He eventually won the second set in another tiebreaker to make it 1-1.
The Dutch player just lost it in the decider as Bonzi broke serve twice to take a 5-0 lead. The Frenchman eventually won the set 6-1 to seal a comprehensive victory. Botic made a lot of unforced errors throughout the match and though he played some superb returns too, the overall effort lacked consistency which resulted in his ouster.
Griekspoor was the first to seal his place in the final, capitalising on his solid game and a classic on-court meltdown by Aslan Karatsev, who broke his racquet in the second set, to win their semi final clash,
Karatsev, the eighth seed here, was expected to overcome his lower-ranked opponent but the Dutch player did not allow him to dictate terms as the games went with serve in the first set. Karatsev started by holding his serve in the first game but it was Griekspoor who emerged stronger as he won the tie-breaker 7/4 to claim the first set.
Griekspoor could have won the set earlier if he had managed to convert a breakpoint in the seventh game. Karatsev survived but his challenge fizzled out in the second set.
In the second set, Griekspoor broke Karatsev's serve in the second and fourth games to go 4-0 up. With Karatsev losing his cool, it was quite easy for Griekspoor in the end as he won the second set 6-1 to seal his place in the summit clash, sealing victory in one hour and 21 minutes.
Karatsev's service let him down as he sent down five double faults and could manage only to put in 53 per cent first serve. Griekspoor blasted 11 aces and had only two double faults as he landed 68 per cent of his first serves.
Results:
Men's singles (semifinals):
Tallon Griekspoor (NED) bt Aslan Karatsev 7-6 (4), 6-1
Benjamin Bonzi (FRA) bt Botic van de Zandschulp (NED) 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 6-1
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