MANZANILLO/STARNBERG, November 30, 2024
The final week of the 2024 ATP Challenger Tour season is underway and four players are still in contention for one of the last titles of the year at the inaugural Manzanillo Open, being held at the Las Hadas Golf & Country Club in Manzanillo, Colima in Mexico.
Gonzalo Oliveira leads the semi-finals line-up. The No. 3 seed of the $41,000 hard-court event eased past Dimitar Kuzmanov of Bulgaria in Friday’s quarterfinals 6-3, 6-1. The 29-year-old Venezuelan struck six aces and won 83 per cent of his first-service points to advance in one hour and 10 minutes.
Oliveira will next take on sixth-seeded US-American Aidan Mayo, who was a 7-6(6), 6-7(1), 6-2 winner over No. 2 seed Aziz Dougaz from Tunisia. The encounter lasted two hours and 52 minutes.
Rosenkranz to face Draxl
In the top half of the draw, Mats Rosenkranz knocked off No. 8 seed Toby Kodat from the United States, 6-3, 6-3. The 26-year-old lefty from Germany converted four of his 11 break-point chances to prevail after one hour and 13 minutes.
Up next for Rosenkranz will be fifth favourite Liam Draxl, who eliminated home favourite Ernesto Escobedo 7-6(5), 6-4 in one hour and 58 minutes.
Draxl Passion
The Canadian takes down Escobedo 7-6(5), 6-4 in Manzanillo to secure his second Challenger semifinal in a row#ATPChallenger | @TennisCanada pic.twitter.com/bSonoNukBA
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) November 29, 2024