CUERNAVACA/STARNBERG, April 13, 2024
Australian Adam Walton leads the semi-finals line-up of the Morelos Open presentado por Metaxchange in Cuernavaca, Mexico. The No. 4 seed of the ATP Challenger Tour 75 hard-court event battled past eighth-seeded Kazakh Beibit Zhukayev 7-6(3), 6-7(5), 6-4 in the stage of the last four on Friday.
Walton withstood 24 aces and broke his rival’s serve one time to secure victory in two hours and 57 minutes.
Big one ☝️
Adam Walton defeats Zhukayev in 3 tight sets to reach the semifinals in Cuernavaca!#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/vK0fkZOue3
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) April 13, 2024
“He served untouchable in the first set. I don’t know, I haven’t seen the stats but he aced me a lot of times,” Walton said right after the encounter.
“I’d just knew that I had to stay mentally tough to finally get the break. I held my nerves and closed it out. I am excited to be in the semis. I lost last year here in first round. I feel like my game is improving. I am just gonna take it each day as it comes perfect.”
Walton, who clinched his second career ATP Challenger title on home soil in Burnie in February this year, will next take on fifth favourite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard of France. The 20-year-old Lyon native beat his compatriot Maxime Janvier 6-3, 7-6(4) in one hour and 16 minutes.
In the top half of the draw, Maxime Cressy booked his spot in the semi-finals following a 6-4, 7-6(5) win over Alexis Galarneau of Canada. The No. 6 seed from the United States struck 14 aces and won 85 per cent of his first-service points to prevail after one hour and 48 minutes.
Up next for Cressy will be Colombian qualifier Nicolas Mejia, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Canadian wild card entry Vasek Pospisil. The match lasted one hour and 51 minutes.
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