IRVING, March 22, 2015
After Friday’s quarterfinal action was rained out, play commenced on Saturday at Irving Tennis Classic with two rounds taking place in one day.
With Aljaz Bedene, who managed to gain back-to-back-victories, eventually one finalist could be found. The 25-year-old Slovenian took out seventh seed Marcos Baghdatis in the quarterfinals winning 6-3, 7-6 in one hour and 47 minutes.
Aljaz Bedene beat Marcos Baghdatis int heir first meeting on the Tour (photo: Tessa Kolodny)
Later the day, Bedene saved two break points and capitalized on two of his own to overcome qualifier Kyle Edmund. The British number three fought back from a break deficit to Steve Darcis to beat the Belgian 7-6, 6-2 in the quarterfinals and progressed through the final four. In the semi-finals, however, Bedene stopped Edmund’s run and sealed victory in 71 minutes winning 7-6, 6-1. The London resident has reached his second final of the season after he finished as runner-up at the ATP 250 event in Chennai in January losing to Stan Wawrinka in straight sets.
Aljaz Bedene reached his second final of the season (photo: Tessa Kolodny)
Irving’s second finalist still has to be found when Tim Smyczek and second seed Gilles Muller will resume their semi-final encounter on Sunday. The US-American aims to capture his second ATP Challenger final of the season after winning in Dallas earlier this year. Their match was suspended on Saturday with Smyczek leading 6-4, 1-2. Earlier the day, the 27-year-old from Tampa took out third seed Benjamin Becker 6-2, 6-2 and Muller overcame with Alexander Zverev another German in the draw winning 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 after one hour and 58 minutes.
Gilles Muller has to come back from a set down to reach the final in Irving (photo: Tessa Kolodny)
On Sunday’s doubles final two unseeded pairs will clash for the title. Robert Lindstedt and Sergiy Stakhovsky defeated Aljaz Bedene and Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-2 and the German tandem of Benjamin Becker and Philipp Petzschner cruised past Pablo Andújar and Diego Schwartzman winning 6-2, 6-0 in only 37 minutes.
Benjamin Becker and Philipp Petzschner reached the doubles final (photo: Tessa Kolodny)
Robert Lindstedt and Sergiy Stakhovsky made it into the doubles final in Irving without dropping a set (photo: Tessa Kolodny)
