HAMBURG, October 20, 2023
Billy Harris headlined Friday’s quarterfinal action at the Hamburg Ladies & Gents Cup ATP Challenger Tour event. The 28-year-old Briton knocked out No. 3 seed Mate Valkusz of Hungary 4-6, 6-0, 6-2.
Harris overcame a bumpy start into the match, struck nine aces and won 77 per cent of his first-service points to secure victory in one hour and 36 minutes.
“He played a good first set, broke me at 5-4. I was a bit unlucky with some net chords but then the second set started well and I knew how to get in front. His level dropped off a little bit. I gained some confidence and started to play better,” said Harris, who has now reached at least the quarterfinals of an ATP Challenger Tour tournament for the third consecutive time.
“I have had a couple of good tournaments the last two weeks, feeling good about my game. I changed a couple of things in my game tactically. I am just trying to stay calmer on the court now. That’s helping.”
Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an
The World No. 262 is based at the National Tennis Center in London, but travels the tour with his Dad. “Since he started travelling with me earlier in the year, I have gone up in the rankings. He is not a coach but very good for support and feeding me some balls. Before I was on my own and it’s good to have him at my side.”
Harris has been particularly successful in Spain, where he reached his first Challenger final at the beginning of the season. Is it just coincidence? “I like playing in the sun and Spanish food must be good,” the Nottingham native responded with a smile. “Sometimes you play some Spanish guys, who are not used to the hard courts and I have picked up some good wins.”
Harris, who is still in the run to enter the qualifying of the Australian Open, is competing at the Hamburg Ladies & Gents Cup for the second time in a row.
“I was here last year but didn’t have the chance to go to the city. I will definitely do so this week. I want to check out the city center but probably after the end of the tournament.”
Up next on the courts at the venue of the Hamburg Tennis Fedearion in Horn will be Ukrainian veteran Illya Marchenko, who ended Adam Walton‘s debut on European soil. Marchenko beat the second-seeded Australian 6-4, 6-1 in one hour and 17 minutes.
Novak remains solid
The top half of the draw is led by No. 1 seed Dennis Novak. The 176th-ranked Austrian broke his rival five times and eased past Spanish qualifier Javier Barranco Cosano 6-2, 6-2 in one hour and five minutes.
“I returned very well today and stayed solely focused on my game,” Novak revealed the key to his success.
Novak will next play French qualifier Tristan Lamasine, a 6-4, 6-2 winner over Akira Santillan of Australia. The encounter lasted one hour and 10 minutes.
Flying into his first Challenger semifinal since 2019 ✈️@TristanLamasine gets past Santillan 6-4, 6-2 to reach the last four in Hamburg#ATPChallenger | @FFTennis pic.twitter.com/w1YNgBtbix
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) October 20, 2023
FRIDAY RESULTS
Singles – Quarterfinals[1] D. Novak (AUT) d [Q] J. Barranco Cosano (ESP) 62 62I. Marchenko (UKR) d [2] A. Walton (AUS) 64 61B. Harris (GBR) d [3] M. Valkusz (HUN) 46 60 62[Q] T. Lamasine (FRA) d [Q] A. Santillan (AUS) 64 62
Doubles – Semifinals[3] A. Jecan (ROU) / M. Veldheer (NED) d [WC] J. Schnaitter (GER) / M. Wallner (GER) 67(9) 75 10-8D. Novak (AUT) / A. Santillan (AUS) d D. Istomin (UZB) / E. Karlovskiy walkover
