CORDENONS, August 18, 2017

Top seed Laslo Djere survived a topsy-turvy quarterfinal encounter at the €64,000 Acqua Dolomia Tennis Cup at the Eurosporting Complex in Cordenons on a sunny and hot Friday afternoon. The World No. 108 from Serbia outlasted Enrique López-Pérez from Spain 6-4, 6-7, 6-4.

Djere was two breaks down, trailing 0-4 in the final set but eventually won six games in a row to secure victory after two hours and 45 minutes.

“I didn’t play that well in the beginning but I was better than him to take the opening set. I had my chances in the second set but he served really well in the important moments. I became a bit nervous that I couldn’t convert me chances. He was better in the tie-break and also had the chance to gain a 5-0 lead in the final set. I thought that it would almost be impossible to come back but I continued to try my best and it worked out in the end,” Djere analyzed the match afterwards.

The 22-year-old Senta native continues his impressive run on the ATP Challenger Tour this summer. Djere captured his maiden title in Perugia last month and also finished runner-up to Matteo Berrettini in San Benedetto the next week.

“It was really important for me to lift my first Challenger trophy after I had lost six finals before. I also made it into the Top-100 for the first time. Those were one of my happiest weeks in my life.”

Djere is playing his first tournament here in Cordenons after losing the final in San Benedetto. “I went on holidays with my girl-friend. We spent some days at the seaside in Montenegro. Just relaxing. The week before this tournament, I started with practice again. I got used to the rhythm and I am very happy that I could win three matches after the break,” Djere told and will next take on Roberto Carballés-Baena. The fourth seeded Spaniard defeated Goncalo Oliveira from Portugal 6-3, 6-1 in 65 minutes.

Elias Ymer

Later in the evening, Elias Ymer has booked a place in the semi-finals for the first time this season. The #NextGenATP player from Sweden beat Pedro Martínez Portero of Spain 7-6, 6-3. Ymer sent down three aces, winning 60 per cent of his first service points to prevail after one hour and 45 minutes.

The youngster from Stockholm will next challenge sixth seed Lorenzo Giustino, who emerged victorious from the all-Italian-affair with 20-year-old wild card entry Andrea Pellegrino 6-3, 6-3. The Naples resident saved four of the five break point he faced, capitalizing on four of his own to finish the match after one hour and 32 minutes.