A COUPLE of lucky losers and Australians continued their runs at Eastbourne overnight, setting up plenty of intrigue as the semi–finals arrive, whilst at Mallorca just one of the three hometown hopes survived as top seed Daniil Medvedev continued on his merry way.

A shaky start could not topple Medvedev once he found his groove, completing a great 7-5 6-1 matchup with fifth seed Norwegian Casper Ruud to head into the semis in Spain. With eight aces and an 86 per cent win rate off his first serve, Medvedev is yet to drop a set in Mallorca and despite being slightly critical of his own performance, was glad to proceed after falling in the opening round at Halle last week.

“I feel like it was a funny match. Maybe [it was] not the highest level, but I’m really happy to win and be in the semi-finals here. I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” Medvedev said post-match.

“I don’t think grass is his best surface, but in the first set he was playing top level and I couldn’t get any break points,” Medvedev said. “But as soon as he started serving a bit worse and making some errors, I tried to use it as fast as I could. It was important to win the first set and not in a tie-break, this gives me a boost of confidence.”

Medvedev will take on fourth seed Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta, who found a 6-4 6-4 victory over Australian Jordan Thompson, saving all three break points the Australian conjured throughout the 82-minute clash. However, his compatriots in third seed Roberto Bautista Agut and veteran Feliciano Lopez were not quite so lucky, both failing to proceed on home soil. Bautista Agut fell in straight sets to American Sam Querrey, 6-3 7-6(4), while Lopez was plucky in his encounter with Adrian Mannarino, stealing the second set off the Frenchman and mounting a huge 15 aces, before eventually going down 6-4 3-6 6-3 in an hour and 37 minutes.

At Eastbourne, a couple of Australians found their form as second seed and Australian number one Alex de Minaur executed a solid 6-4 6-4 victory over Canadian Vasek Pospisil. He will take on lucky loser Soonwoo Kwon in the semis, following the Korean’s 6-4 7-5 victory over qualifier Ilya Ivashka.

“[I am] very happy. This is a part of the season which I look forward to every year, and I feel like I have been able to gradually improve and play better and better, so I am very happy with where my game is at,” de Minaur said.

“I feel like [the] last grass season I didn’t perform the way I wanted to, so it’s good to kind of show what I can do on this surface. Mentally I think I’m staying in the moment. I’m doing what I need to do.”

Lucky loser Max Purcell drew another lucky loser in Italian Andreas Seppi, reigning supreme in three sets to head into his maiden ATP Tour semi final. Purcell required just under two hours to claim the 6-4 1-6 6-4 result, and despite his second set slip-up was excited for an opportunity to take on another Italian in Lorenzo Sonego next.

“You have to believe [these moments will come], or who would want to go out there?” Purcell said. “I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity. This just happens to be the week where I’m making a little bit of a start.”

Third seed Sonego impressed in his 6-1 7-5 clash with eighth seed Kazakh Alexander Bublik, notching his 17th win for the year in the process.

“I am really happy with the match because it is not easy playing against Bublik, because he is an amazing talent,” Sonego said. “Especially in the second set, it was really tough, but I am happy with the match.

“I am full of energy because I like playing here. “My serve is good for the grass court, and I like playing in Eastbourne. “There are a lot of Italian fans, and it is good for me.”

VIKING INTERNATIONAL EASTBOURNE QUARTER FINALS RESULTS:

[2] Alex De Minaur (AUS) defeated Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 6-4 6-4
[3] Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) defeated [8] Alexander Bublik (KAZ) 6-1 7-5
[LL] Soonwoo Kwon (KOR) defeated [Q] Ilya Ivashka (BLR) 6-4 7-5
[LL] Max Purcell (AUS) defeated [LL] Andreas Seppi (ITA) 6-4 1-6 6-4

MALLORCA CHAMPIONSHIPS QUARTER FINALS RESULTS: 

[1] Daniil Medvedev (RUS) defeated [5] Casper Ruud (NOR) 7-5 6-1
Sam Querrey (USA) defeated [3] Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) 6-3 7-6
[4] Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) defeated Jordan Thompson (AUS) 6-4 6-4
Adrian Mannarino (FRA) defeated Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 6-4 3-6 6-3

Picture credit: Mallorca Championships/Manuel Queimadelos