Swiss teen Stricker's Geneva Open run ended by Andujar

Posted May 20, 2021 7:00 am

The Associated Press

Denis Shapovalov of Canada returns a ball to Laslo Djere of Serbia during their round of 8 men's match, at the ATP 250 Tennis Geneva Open tournament, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP) The Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) - Swiss teenager Dominic Stricker's promising tournament debut ended Thursday in the Geneva Open quarterfinals with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss to veteran Pablo Andujar.

The 18-year-old Stricker was up a break in the second set against the 35-year-old Andujar, who beat Roger Federer in the previous round.

Stricker, the French Open junior champion, practiced with Federer before the season in Dubai and came to Geneva with a wild-card entry and No. 419 ranking.

That ranking is set for a big move after Stricker beat top-50 players Marin Cilic and Marton Fucsovics in the first two rounds of the rain-affected clay-court event.

Another 35-year-old, Pablo Cuevas, eliminated fourth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (3), 6-3 to advance to the semifinals.

Third-seeded Casper Ruud struggled early before overcoming Dominik Koepfer 2-6, 6-1, 6-4. Ruud will face Andujar in the semifinals Friday.

The last semifinal spot was to be decided in the late match between Denis Shapovalov and Laslo Djere, who each had second-round wins earlier Thursday.

The second-seeded Shapovalov was on court for nearly 2 ˆ½ hours to beat qualifier Marco Cecchinato 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-1. Djere finished off a rain-delayed match against sixth-seeded Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-1.

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Laslo Djere of Serbia returns a ball to Denis Shapovalov of Canada during their round of 8 men's match, at the ATP 250 Tennis Geneva Open tournament, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP) The Associated Press

Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria returns a ball to Pablo Cuevas from Uruguay during their round of 8 men's match, at the ATP 250 Tennis Geneva Open tournament, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP) The Associated Press

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