Robby Ginepri, James Ward advance into the semi-finals – Van Open 2011 CH
Robby Ginepri survived his strongest challenge yet at the Van Open 2011, beating third-seeded Grega Zemlja 6-4, 7-6(7) to reach the semi-finals on Friday night.
Ginepri was playing like he wants a knighthood, playing the match pretty composedly than his first two matches where he had to beat eighth seeded Greg Jones and Blake strode
to reach the quarterfinal here at Vancouver, Canada.
Ginepri, ranked 411 in the world, dominated the match throughout the opening exchanges, dropping just two games while winning in first set in double quick time. But the
American player was highly challenged in the ending; however, he played with great poise against Slovenia’s third-seed to reach the semi-finals.
This was much more straightforward victory for the American as he played this match with more determination, winning a whopping 70 percent on service, 36 percent on return
and 52 percent of points in total to clinch the opening set with 6-4 scoreline.
Until the tie-break in the second set, Zemlja had a much better start, as he had managed to grab the early lead, having been neck and neck all the way to a tie-breaker.
But, Zemlja being Zemlja, he fell away when it mattered, in the 'breaker'. Thereafter, Ginepri was the better player, so he made the last four at the Hollyburn Country Club,
taking a little over one hour and thirty six minutes of play.
Emerging Victorious, he now moves on into the semi-finals of the tournament where he will meet either France’s Clement Reix or second-seeded Bobby Reynolds.
Earlier, James Ward of Great Britain stayed on course to enter the semi-final of Vancouver Open with a thrilling 7-6(6), 2-6, 6-3 victory over compatriot Alex Bogdanovic
in the quarterfinal match, being played here at Vancouver, Canada.
Ward, who is ranked 174th in the ATP Rankings list, quickly broke his opponent in the third set of brilliant shot-making to triumph in just two hours and eighteen
minutes of play.
He got an entry pass into the semi-finals by virtue of 69 percent on service, 35 percent of return and 51 percent of points in total while his opponent lagged behind in
the match with a meager difference of three points in total, a testament of devotion by both the players.
Ward, the 24-year-old Brit now enters the semi-finals where he is scheduled to meet either Moldova’s Roman Borvanov or Canada’s sixth-seeded Vasek Pospisil.
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