Montreal's Diallo serves up quarterfinal upset in the Netherlands, Andreescu loses
Gabriel Diallo of Canada plays a forehand return to Karen Khachanov of Russia during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
'S-HERTOGENBOSCH — Montreal's Gabriel Diallo fired 19 aces to beat No. 3 seed Karen Khachanov of Russia 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-3 on Friday at the grass-court Libema Open.
The Canadian won 74 per cent of his first-serve points and saved four of five break chances.
He took the opening set in a tight tiebreak before Khachanov responded with a single break in the second.
Diallo broke early in the third and never faced another break point.
The 23-year-old is projected to rise to No. 48 in the ATP's live rankings — the first top-50 showing of his career.
Diallo will face No. 2 seed Ugo Humbert of France in Saturday's semifinal after Humbert beat No. 7 seed Nuno Borges of Portugal 6-1, 6-4.
In the women's competition, Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont. lost her bid to advance to the final four after dropping a 6-2, 6-4 decision to Romania's Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the quarterfinals.
Andreescu fell behind 5-0 in the first set and couldn't recover. The 2019 U.S. Open winner was looking to advance to her first semifinal of the season.
It was Ruse's second straight win over a Canadian after she beat Carson Branstine in the second round.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2025.
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