Resurgent Coric Charges Into Third Masters 1000 SF

Two days after a statement win against Rafael Nadal, Borna Coric showcased his staying power on Friday at the Western & Southern Open by reaching his first ATP Masters 1000 final since 2019. The Croatian, who returned to the ATP Tour in March after shoulder surgery, earned a one-sided 6-4, 6-4 win against Felix Auger-Aliassime to continue his best week of the season.

The World No. 152 is the second-lowest-ranked Cincinnati semi-finalist since the start of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in 1973, and the third-lowest-ranked ATP Masters 1000 semi-finalist since the start of the prestigious series in 1990. But he wont be setting records like that much longer — he has skyrocketed 86 places to No. 66 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings with his run this week and could rise as high as No. 29 with his first Masters 1000 title.

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Coric's dominant quarter-final win was built on a near-perfect performance on first serve. The Croatian won 31 of 32 points (97 per cent) behind his first delivery and did not face a break point in the one-hour, 40-minute contest. He was never pushed as far as deuce on serve, his easy holds freeing him up to swing out on return.

With powerful ground strokes consistently finding the corners, Coric created nine break chances across five return games, converting in the third game of the opening set and the seventh of the second. Auger-Aliassime had a brief opening on return at 30/30 after he battled through a 12-minute service hold to lead 3-2, but Coric dialled back in to avoid a momentum shift. 

The Canadian saved two match points in a comeback win against Jannik Sinner on Thursday, but he could not repeat those heroics as Coric raced through two love holds to close out the match. The 25-year-old roared towards his team after grinding out one of the longest points of the match on his first match point, finishing as a deserved winner.

With wins against Nadal and Auger-Aliassime, Coric has defeated two Top 10 players in a single tournament for the third time in his career. He will next face either Carlos Alcaraz or Cameron Norrie in Saturday's semi-finals.

More to come...

from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/IJ2kVWD