Zverev Battles into Chengdu Open Semifinals

Going the distance stokes Alexander Zverev’s competitive fire.

Down a set, Zverev battled past Miomir Kecmanovic 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 to advance to his seventh semifinal of the season at the Chengdu Open.

Zverev fired 53 winners—12 more than Kecmanovic—including 13 aces in a gritty three-hour triumph.

The Olympic gold-medal champion improved to 43-21 on the season, including a 10-4 mark in decisive sets.

It is the seventh semifinal of the season for Zverev, who has struggled in final four matches in 2023. Zverev is 1-5 in semifinals in 2023.

The 10th-ranked German will take on either third-seeded Grigor Dimitrov, who is fresh off his 400th career win, or 53rd-ranked Aussie Christopher O’Connell for a spot in the final.

Former junior world No. 1 Lorenzo Musetti moved closer to his first final since winning an all-Italian final against Matteo Berrettini in Naples last October.

The 21-year-old Musetti did not face a break point sweeping Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech 6-3, 6-3 in 88 minutes. Musetti broke for a 3-1 first-set lead and later served out the opening set at 15.

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The 18th-ranked Italian struck 32 winners, raising his record to 31-22 and reaching his third semifinal of the season.

Next up for Musetti is a semifinal clash vs. Roman Safiullin, who held a 7-6(1) lead when Aussie Jordan Thompson retired from their quarterfinal.

It will be the first Tour-level meeting between Musetti and Safiullin.