GRANBY/STARNBERG, August 27, 2022

It was a Friday night to remember for Canadian Gabriel Diallo, who defeated Tunisia’s Aziz Dougaz in a back-and-forth battle, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(5), to reach his first semi-final on the ATP Challenger Tour at the Championnats Banque Nationale de Granby.

The 6-foot-7 Montrealer was down 5-3 in the third set tie-break but managed to win four consecutive points to claim the match in two hours and 12 minutes and bring the entire Granby crowd to their feet. Diallo’s next match is set for 12 p.m. local time on Saturday where he will play No. 9 seed Hiroki Moriya of Japan for a spot in the finals.

Earlier in the day, 17-year-old Juncheng Shang of China defeated Australia’s No. 3 seed Jordan Thompson 7-5, 6-4 in one hour and 47 minutes. Sixth-seeded Shang, who is coming off a first ATP Challenger title in Lexington, United States, looks razor-sharp this week in Canada. The 246th-ranked rising star is the only player who is yet to drop a set.

Skill & luck combined in Granby 🤯#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/vlVla1paO6

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) August 26, 2022

Facing Shang in the semi-finals is 19-year-old qualifier Aidan Mayo of Sacramento, United States. Mayo took down No. 2 seed Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic in the opening round and has carried that momentum with him all the way to the semis.

The World No. 842 edged out No. 10 seed Nicola Mejia of Colombia 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. The encounter lasted two hours and 26 minutes.