SANTA PONCA/STARNBERG, June 27, 2024
Alejandro Tabilo has become the first man from Chile to reach a tour-level semi-final on grass since Jaime Fillol Sr. at Nottingham in 1977. The 24-year-old defeated Czech teenager Jakub Mensik 6-4, 6-4 in Thursday’s quarterfinals of the Mallorca Championships presented by waterdrop.
Fourth-seeded Tabilo broke his rival’s serve three times and won 52 per cent of the total points played to secure victory in one hour and 30 Minutes. The No. 4 seed of the ATP 250 event in Santa Ponca, Calvia is through to his seventh tour-level semi-final and his fifth of 2024.
5th Semi-Final of 2024! 👏
Alejandro Tabilo takes out Mensik 6-4 6-4 to reach the final four in Mallorca@MallorcaChamps #MallorcaChampionships pic.twitter.com/JSw65mwJHx
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 27, 2024
Tabilo, who has claimed six titles on the ATP Challenger Tour and captured his maiden crown on the ATP Tour in Auckland this season, will next take on No. 6 seed Gael Monfils. The 37-year-old Frenchman battled past Roberto Baustista Agut of Spain 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in two hours and 32 minutes.
“Very tough. Roberto is a big warrior,” Monfils said. “Even in the second set when he came back, I was up a break at 4-3, then he played really good, really solid. And then at the end, you could see the nerves were there. The crowd was behind both of us, so it was a big battle.”
In the top half of the draw, Sebastian Ofner rallied from a set down to overcome US-American Alex Michelsen, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. The 28-year-old Austrian fired 12 aces and converted two of his three break-point opportunities to advance in one hour and 53 minutes. Ofner will next play British qualifier Paul Jubb, who ousted top seed Ben Shelton from the United States 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(8). The encounter lasted two hours and 44 minutes.
