Caspar Ruud: a fourth semi-final in a row

Will the fourth one be the right one! This Friday, Casper Ruud (ATP 21) will play his fourth semifinal in a row after Monte-Carlo, Munich and Madrid with the hope of going one step higher this time.

Beaten by Andrey Rublev, Nikoloz Basilashvili and Matteo Berrettini in the first three semifinals, the Norwegian hopes to overcome the Indian sign against Pablo Andujar (ATP 75). The son of Christian, a former Tour player who came to Geneva in 1993 to play in the Drizia Challenger, Casper Ruud can have great ambitions for this Gonet Geneva Open. Despite losing the first set to Dominik Köpfer (ATP 59) on Thursday, the man from Oslo is giving off a great impression on the TC Geneva courts. He won the title last year in Buenos Aires and feels he can hit the jackpot on Saturday and succeed Alexander Zverev as the tournament’s winner.

However, Casper Ruud will approach this semi-final against Pablo Andujar with extreme caution. The “tormentor” of Roger Federer and Dominic Stricker has shown this week that he can come from nowhere to turn a match in his favor. Beaten by the Valencian in 2019 at the Challenger in Prostejov but victorious last year in Buenos Aires in Act II of their duel, Casper Ruud knows perfectly well that he must not let his guard down at any time. Still alive after being down 4-2 in the third set to Roger Federer and then 6-4 3-1 to Dominic Stricker, Pablo Andujar also wants to believe that the Gonet Geneva Open can be “his” tournament.

Dominic Stricker: the hoped confirmation

The adventure continues for Dominic Stricker (ATP 419). The day after his victory over Marin Cilic, the Bernese won 7-5 6-4 over Marton Fucsovics (ATP 44) to reach the quarterfinals of the Gonet Geneva Open.

This Thursday, Dominic Stricker will have the opportunity to avenge his loss to… Roger Federer with his match against Pablo Andujar (ATP 75). Even though the Valencian metronome showed all his bravery on Tuesday against the man with twenty Grand Slam titles, Dominic Stricker is not starting out defeated. The Bernese can, in fact, make lightning flash from his left arm. Against Marton Fuscovics, who won this tournament three years ago, he was able to dictate the match with his forehand and his lightning-fast backhand.

In this match, which was interrupted twice due to rain, Dominic Stricker showed remarkable nervous control. His composure in the “money time” contrasted with the feverishness of the Hungarian who lost both sets on two double faults. “I was able to stay calm,” the Berneseman rightly emphasized.

Dominik Stricker, who reached the quarter-finals of his first ATP Tour tournament two months after winning the Lugano Challenger, is following in the footsteps of Marc Rosset. In 1989, the Geneva won the title at the age of 18 at the Parc des Eaux-Vives to launch a career that was magnificent. “There are still some very good players in the field”, says Dominic Stricker when asked if the feat is possible. The road is, it is true, still long but Dominic Sricker wants to believe that he can follow it to the end.

Roger Federer: “I’m especially disappointed for the tournament»

Roger Federer’s first match at the Gonet Geneva Open leaves a bitter taste. Beaten 6-4 4-6 6-4 by Pablo Andujar (ATP 75) after leading 4-2 in the third set, the Basel native paid a high price for his lack of match play.

This match against the Valencian was only his third one since January 2020. Lacking a sense of direction, he had too many ups and downs against an opponent who did not drop a single point. With hindsight, we must recognize that Pablo Andujar, whom he had never met before, was not the ideal draw to open the ball at the Parc des Eaux-Vives.

“I’m disappointed for the tournament. People seemed really happy to see me,” said Roger Federer a few moments after his defeat. The Basel native was able to gauge the excitement of coming to the Parc des Eaux-Vives. He was disappointed that he would only play one match in this idyllic setting, which he immediately appreciated.

Fortunately, the party is not over yet. Dominic Stricker (ATP 419) will be in the round of 16 this Wednesday. The French Open junior champion won his first match on the ATP Tour with real panache. He won 7-6 (7/5) 6-1 against Marin Cilic (ATP 46). He will face Marton Fuscovisc (ATP 44) with the hope of signing a second victory that will give him the opportunity to “avenge” Roger Federer with a quarterfinal against Pablo Andujar.

Arthur Cazaux in the big time

Pablo Andujar (ATP 75), Arthur Cazaux (ATP 517), Tennys Sandgren (ATP 67) and Dominik Köpfer (ATP 59) managed to beat the rain to reach the round of 16 of the Gonet Geneva Open. Despite the gloomy weather, Monday’s matches provided some very useful information.

On Tuesday, Roger Federer will face a true clay court specialist in the person of Pablo Andujar. The 35-year-old Valencian, who won the title in Gstaad in 2014, is almost a miracle worker on the Tour, as he underwent three operations on his right shoulder between March 2016 and April 2017. Back in the spotlight in the spring of 2018 thanks to his victory in the Marrakech tournament when he was only ranked 355th in the world, Pablo Andujar will throw himself into the battle both as a hungry man but also as a player who will have, due to his singular journey, strictly nothing to lose.

Before Tuesday’s match, which we hope will be the Swiss one with Roger Federer of course, but also with Dominic Stricker and Henri Laaksonen, Monday was a French day. Arthur Cazaux, 18 years old (ATP 517) picked up his first win on the ATP Tour. The player from Montpellier won 6-3 6-7 (5/7) 6-3 over his compatriot Adrian Mannarino (ATP 37). His day was further enhanced by the issuance of a wild card for the next French Open.

At the end of the evening, Benoît Paire (ATP 36) made the show. The Frenchman lost 6-7 7-6 6-4 against the German left-hander Dominik Köpfer after a beautiful match. Beaten after a 2h35′ fight, Benoît Paire has probably delivered his best performance in months. There are encouraging defeats. This one was undoubtedly one of them.

Pablo Cuevas: the book is not closed

It is possible to be ranked 19th in the world and to have won six titles on Tour and to still have to go through the qualifying round: this is the fate of Pablo Cuevas (ATP 104).

The Uruguayan, who came to Geneva early, got through the first round with his 6-3 4-6 6-3 victory over Jakub Paul (ATP 670), the winner of the Swiss Tennis pre-qualifying tournament, in a match that went unfinished on Saturday. Pablo Cuevas will play his place in the main draw this Monday against Lorenzo Giustino (ATP 174).

After undergoing knee surgery in 2011, the Uruguayan spent two years away from the courts before making a comeback that shows great strength of character. At the age of 35, he believes he is still capable of writing beautiful pages in the beautiful book of his career. For his first appearance at the Parc des Eaux-Vives, he hopes to shuffle the cards.

While Pablo Cuevas has not yet finished the job, Henri Laaksonen (ATP 139) has perfectly done his own. The Schaffhausen native made the most of the rain to secure his place in the main draw with wins over two left-handed players, Germany’s Cedrik-Marcel Stebe (ATP 134) and Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo (ATP 166). This is the first time in his career that he has reached the main draw of the Gonet Geneva Open.

The former TC Geneva player made a winning return to the Parc des Eaux-Vives six years after losing in the second round of qualifying to American Daniel Young. “I haven’t been able to play this tournament in recent years because I was always in the qualifying round of the French Open. The postponement of the French Open changed everything,” says the Schaffhausen native, who was on a three-match losing streak in the first round of Challengers tournaments before the Gonet Geneva Open. “I arrived on Thursday. I prepared myself well,” he says. Even though I was close to losing my first match, I’m happy with my level of play. I was able to raise it when the circumstances demanded it.”