IRVING, March 19, 2016
Defending champion Aljaz Bedene came out on top on quarterfinals Friday at the $125,000 BMW Of Dallas Irving Tennis Classic, beating US-American teen Frances Tiafoe 7-6, 3-6, 7-6. The 26-year-old Brit withstood 14 aces, hitting 10 of his own to prevail in two hours and 38 minutes.
Bedene will face Jared Donaldson next. The 19-year-old US-American won the all-teen-affair with Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-1. The California resident didn’t face a break point, converting four of his own to advance after one hour and 17 minutes.
Marcel Granollers (photo: Tessa Kolodny)
Marcel Granollers knocked out third seed Lukas Rosol 6-4, 6-2 to gain his third victory over the Czech in the pair’s fourth tour meeting. The world number 92 from Spain sent down four aces and won 60% of his first service points to seal victory in one hour and 42 minutes. Granollers will appear in his second semi-final of the season, after he made it to the stage of the final four in Canberra in January.
Diego Schwartzman and Ivan Dodig (photos: Tessa Kolodny)
He will take on Ivan Dodig, who ousted Diego Schwartzman 7-6, 7-5. The 31-year-old from Croatia capitalized on five of his 10 break points to finish the encounter after one hour and 52 minutes.
I’m very happy to play in the semi-finals. It’s my first time here, and I’m really enjoying it. Today it was really difficult conditions, very cold and windy, so it was not the best tennis, but for me it is important that I am through to the next round and in the semi-final and I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” Dodig told.
“I think it’s amazing, this tournament. It could be the level of an ATP tournament, how many good players are playing here. It’s, I think, one of the best Challengers in the world, concerning the quality of players, and it’s great for us players as we all use this time between the tournaments, if we don’t do well in Indian Wells, to come here to prepare for Miami. I think it’s a great tournament and it’s very high quality matches here, very good players.”
