Third-seeded Lorenzo Musetti rallied from an early break in the deciding set to defeat No. 7 seed Ugo Humbert of France 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the Bybit Stockholm Open on Thursday.
Musetti needed two hours, 29 minutes to earn his 10th victory in 12 indoor hard-court matches this season. Humbert carried his second-set momentum into the third by breaking early, but Musetti responded to become the first Italian to reach the Stockholm semifinals since Fabio Fognini in 2018.
Musetti will next face top-seeded Taylor Fritz, who advanced without playing after Denmark’s Holger Rune withdrew with a right leg injury. Fritz reached his seventh semifinal of the season and his third in his past four tournaments.
Fourth-seeded Alejandro Tabilo of Chile eliminated No. 6 seed Alex Michelsen 7-5, 7-6 (2), saving six of seven break points. Tabilo avenged an earlier-season loss to the American in Miami and became just the second Chilean to reach the Stockholm semifinals, joining Marcelo Rios in 2002.
Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante ended the run of Kazakhstani qualifier Aleksandr Shevchenko with a 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 6-3 victory in two hours, 49 minutes. Neither player dropped serve through the first two sets, but Tirante secured the match’s lone break for a 3-1 lead in the third and protected it the rest of the way to reach his third career ATP semifinal and first on a hard court.
Tirante will face Tabilo on Friday for a spot in the final. Shevchenko had reached the quarterfinals after upsetting defending champion and second-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway in three sets Wednesday.
–Field Level Media
