The Spanish Carlos Alcaraz, first favorite, advanced as first classified to the semifinals of the New Generation Masters in Milan, in which he will face the Argentine Sebastian Baez, while the other duel will be played by Americans Sebastian Korda and Brandon Nakashima.
Alcaraz, 18 years old and champion this year in Umag, closed an immaculate group stage, by beating Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo 4-0, 4-1, 2-4 and 4-3 (3).
The Murcian lost the first set of his tournament to Cerundolo’s reaction in the third set, but he had no problems shielding his ticket to the semifinals.
You will see the faces with a Baez that did not fail in the decisive clash with the French Hugo Gaston and won by 4-3 (2), 4-2 and 4-2 in one hour and four minutes.
The Argentine, winner of five Challenger tournaments in his successful season, all on land, lit up the Allianz Cloud in Milan with his dynamic tennis and powerful at the expense of a Gaston who seemed lacking in energy after the demanding matches played against Korda and Musetti, this lasted more than two hours.
It will be the first absolute confrontation between Alcaraz and Baez, two players who exhibited great form in the Milanese tournament. The other semifinal will be played by Korda and Nakashima, in an American derby that sees the former as the favorite.
Korda closed their group stage with three wins out of three and, after beating Gaston and Baez, on Thursday defeated the idol of the Italian fans Lorenzo Musetti 4-2, 4-3 (4) and 4-2.
The powerful North American player, number 39 in the world, will face Nakashima who beat the Norwegian this Thursday Holger Vitus Rune, world number 109, by 3-4 (3), 4-1, 4-1 and 4-3 (1).