Guerrero: Third-seeded German Alexander Zverev reached his first ATP semi-final of the season on Thursday, beating Ryan Harrison 6-4, 6-1 to set up a clash with Juan Martin del Potro in Acapulco. World number five Zverev, 20, is the highest-ranked player left in the draw of the hardcourt tournament that saw top seed Rafael Nadal withdraw with nagging hip trouble.
In the semis he`ll face former US Open champion del Potro, who fended off a second-set challenge from third-seeded Austrian Dominic Thiem to triumph 6-2, 7-6 (9/7). "I was very happy with how I played," said Zverev, who saved all four break points he faced. "I`m starting to play very well again, and that`s all that matters for me."
Argentina`s del Potro saved three set points against Thiem in the second-set tiebreaker, firing two aces to give himself a match point and taking the contest when Thiem double-faulted. In the other semi-final, fifth-seeded South African Kevin Anderson will take on American Jared Donaldson.
Anderson defeated South Korean Chung Hyeon 7-6 (7/5), -4 while Donaldson beat Spain`s Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-1. Anderson saved six of the seven break points he faced to reach his third semi-final of the season.
"I felt the first set was really touch and go," Anderson said. "I had to save quite a few breakpoints. I felt I played some of my best tennis down on those break points." In women`s action, top-seeded American Sloane Stephens and second-seeded Kristina Mladenovic of France were both sent packing in the quarter-finals.
Switzerland`s Stefanie Vogele, ranked 183rd in the world, stunned reigning US Open champion Stephens 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. Seventh seed and defending champion Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine made short work of Mladenovic, 6-2, 6-2, in a rematch of last year`s final.
Vogele next faces Sweden`s Rebecca Peterson, who ousted fourth-seeded Zhang Shuai of China 6-2, 6-1. Tsurenko will take on third-seeded Australian Daria Gavrilova, who beat Veronica Cepede of Paraguay 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
