Bengaluru, Feb 28 (PTI) Seventh seed Shintaro Mochizuki ended Hynek Barton’s dream run at the Bengaluru Open by knocking out the Czech qualifier from the singles event here on Friday.
The 2019 junior Wimbledon Champion defeated Barton 7-6(5), 6-3 to advance to the semifinals, where he will play Australian James McCabe.
Mochizuki was off to a solid start as he swept the opening game without losing a point. The rising Japanese star then procured two break points in the second game but Barton fought back for a hold.
The intensity grew as the match progressed and eventually Mochizuki grabbed the opening set via a tie-breaker.
Mochizuki broke Barton’s serve in the very first game of the second set, before defending two break points in the next and another in game four. Having provided himself with a sturdy platform, the seventh seed proceeded to wrap up the match in one hour and 36 minutes.
Earlier, 21-year-old McCabe came from a set down to defeat Colombia’s Nicolas Mejia 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a quarter-final match that lasted two hours and 22 minutes. Great Britain’s Billy Harris also booked his berth in the semi-finals after a thrilling 6-2, 1-6, 7-5 win over second seed Tristan Schoolkate.
Second seeds Blake Bayldon and Matthew Romios secured a spot in the doubles final after eliminating unseeded Siddhant Banthia and Parikshit Somani 6-3, 7-6(6). PTI AT AT PDS PDS