CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, August 6, 2016

After the €42,500 ATP Challenger in Cortina had suffered a complete wash out on Friday, the sun has returned to the Dolomites on Saturday and the tournament’s schedule of play was fully packed with the quarterfinal matches starting in the morning.

Andrey Rublev

Laslo Djere was first up on Campo 3, battling past Russian NextGen star Andrey Rublev. The 21-year-old from Serbia came back from a set down to seal a 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 victory. In an exciting encounter with a lot of ups and down, Djere won two points more than Rublev to advance to his third Challenger semi-final of the season in two hours and 35 minutes.

Djere will next play Roberto Carballés-Baena, who benefited from the retirement of Facundo Bagnis. The third seed from Argentina had to deal with abdominal problems and was unable to serve at the end of the opening set and gave up, leading 5-4.

Joao Souza

On Campo Centrale, Joao Souza knocked out Italian youngster Matteo Donati, rallying 4-6, 7-6, 6-4. The 28-year-old from Brazil fired nine aces, winning 89% of his first service points to prevail in two hours and nine minutes. Souza advanced to his second consecutive semi-final, following last week’s tournament in Biella. Back then, he lost to Federico Gaio.

Souza will face Cortina’s eighth seed Guido Andreozzi. The world number 137 eased past Lorenzo Giustino 6-3, 6-1. Andreozzi didn’t face a break point, converting four of his own to finish the encounter in exactly one hour of play.

Play will continue with the singles semi-finals this afternoon, starting at 3 p.m. local time.