Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas returns the ball to Belarus’ Ilja Ivashka at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Ahoy, Rotterdam February 10, 2022. — AFP pic
ROTTERDAM, Feb 11 — Top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas raced into the Rotterdam ATP quarter-finals on Thursday, needing just a shade over an hour to see off Belarusian Ilya Ivashka.
The 23-year-old Greek star eased to a 6-4, 6-1 win and goes on to face Alex de Minaur for a semi-final spot.
Tsitsipas will be the overwhelming favourite as he boasts a 6-0 head-to-head advantage over the Australian.
“Today I had opportunities from the beginning of the match, a few break points here or there, but I stayed calm, and I knew that if I continued with that kind of pace a few more opportunities were going to present themselves. They eventually did and I handled them better,” said Tsitsipas.
Second seed and defending champion Andrey Rublev of Russia downed Kwon Soon-woo of South Korea 6-3, 6-3 in 79 minutes.
He next faces Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics who beat home hope Tallon Griekspoor 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).
Third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, runner-up in Rotterdam in 2020, enjoyed a 6-3, 6-4 win over former world number one Andy Murray.
“From the start of the match I was ready and focused and I think that is why I was able to produce a high level from the first point,” said the Canadian who faces another Briton, Cameron Norrie for a place in the last-four.
Czech qualifier Jiri Lehecka, ranked at 137, followed up his opening win over 12th-ranked Denis Shapovalov by seeing off Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Lehecka faces Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti for a place in the semi-finals. — AFP