Tallon Grepes has qualified for the semi-finals of the ABN AMRO Open on Friday. The number 61 in the world was too strong for Gijs Brouwer in two sets in Rotterdam. It became 6-4 and 6-4.
The 26-year-old Greek track needed two successful breaks to get rid of his compatriot of the same age. The match in Ahoy lasted one hour and nineteen minutes.
Greek track will compete against Jannik Sinner in the semifinals on Saturday. Earlier in the evening, the Italian was too strong for Stan Wawrinka in two sets: 6-1 and 6-3. The 21-year-old Sinner, who won the Montpellier ATP tournament last week, had already knocked out the first-placed Greek Stéfanos Tsitsipás on Thursday.
Greek track won his first ATP title last month in the Indian city of Pune and then reached the third round of the Australian Open. Thanks to his performance in Ahoy, the Greek track will return to the top fifty of the world ranking.
For Brouwer, his elimination brought an end to a very strong tournament. The number 160 in the world received a wild card for the main schedule at the last minute due to an injury to Gaël Monfils and made it to the last eight.
Greek track first Dutch semi-finalist in Ahoy since 2014
Greek track is the first Dutch semi-finalist at the ABN AMRO Open since 2014. Nine years ago, Igor Sijsling reached the last four in Ahoy and since then no compatriot has made it that far. In 2014, Sijsling lost in three sets to the Croatian Marin Cilic, who had to admit his superior to the Czech Tomás Berdych in the final a day later.
Greek track can become the first Dutch finalist since 2003. Then Raemon Sluiter, coach of the Greek track until the end of last year, reached the final in his hometown. Shutter had to lose out to Maks Mirni from Belarus. The last Dutch winner dates from 1998. A quarter of a century ago, Jan Siemerink was the best in Ahoy.
The other semifinal will be between Grigor Dimitrov and Daniil Medvedev on Saturday. Dimitrov settled earlier on Friday in a thriller with Alex de Minaur: 6-3, 3-6 and 7-6 (6). Medvedev defeated defending champion Félix Auger-Aliassime. It became 6-2 and 6-4.
