BOGOTA/STARNBERG, October 23, 2021
Colombian qualifier Nicolas Barrientos continued his fine run of form on home soil this week by reaching the semi-finals of the $52,080 DirecTV Open Bogota ATP Challenger 80 tournament. On a rain-delayed Friday at the Carmel Club in Bogota, the World No. 769 defeated Spaniard Oriol Roca Batalla 6-3, 7-5.
Barrientos, a winner of seven ITF Futures titles, saved all six break points he faced and converted three of his own six break-point chances to advance after one hour and 28 minutes. The 34-year-old from Cali will appear in the stage of the final four at Challenger level for the first time since Bogota 2015.
Semana de ensueño 🤩@nicobg15 (quien pasó la qualy) alcanzas sus primeras semis Challenger desde 2015 en Bogotá 🇨🇴, luego de vencer a 🇪🇸 Oriol Roca 6-3, 7-5. #ATPChallenger | #DIRECTVOpenBogotá
➡️ https://t.co/0zFXDasfV6 pic.twitter.com/LuqIaB0gSy
— Fedecoltenis (@fedecoltenis) October 22, 2021
Barrientos will next take on Austrian veteran Gerald Melzer, who edged out Nicola Mejia of Colombia 6-0, 6-4 after one hour and 22 minutes.
In the bottom half of the draw, No. 5 seed Facundo Mena of Argentina beat Alexis Galarneau from Canada 6-1, 6-4. The World No. 234 won 59 per cent of the total points played to seal victory in one hour and seven minutes.
Up next for Mena will be No. 6 seed Jesper de Jong. The 21-year-old from the Netherlands defeated Matheus Pucinelli de Almeida of Brazil 6-2, 7-5. The encounter lasted one hour and 35 minutes.
Colombians advance to the doubles final
Later in the day, Nicolas Barrientos also reached the doubles final alongside his Colombian partner Alejandro Gomez. The No. 4 seeds fought past the all-Dutch combination of Jesper de Jong and Bart Stevens 5-7, 7-6(4), 10-8 after one hour and 48 minutes.
Barrientos and Gomez will play either Nicolas Jarry of Chile and Roberto Quiroz from Ecuador or Ecuadorian Diego Hidalgo and Cristian Rodriguez of Venezuela for the title on Saturday.
¡INVITACIÓN MUY ESPECIAL! Los 🇨🇴 @nicobg15 y @AlejoGomezCO están en la final de dobles en el #DIRECTVOpenBogota🏆🎾. ¡¡Acompáñalos este sábado!! Adquiere tus entradas en @eticketCOL pic.twitter.com/rWuxxbANjy
— DIRECTV Open Bogotá (@DirectvOpen) October 23, 2021
