Roger Federer on Friday defeated Guido Pella 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the Stuttgart Open semi-finals.
Federer was too good for his opponent, even though the 75th-ranked Argentine produced one of his best matches on grass.
With Federer serving, Pella forced two break points for some late drama, but Federer answered with four points in a row to set up a meeting with Nick Kyrgios.
“I didn’t give Guido many chances to get into my service games, except maybe the last couple,” Federer said after only his second match since March 24. “I was happy that I also got more rhythm today.”
Fourth seed Kyrgios defeated Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Federer could have reclaimed the No. 1 ranking from Rafael Nadal with a win yesterday.
“In the match that you play for world No. 1, it’s clearly going to be in the back of your head,” he said.
Defending champion Lucas Pouille is to face Milos Raonic in the other semi-final.
NOTTINGHAM OPEN
AFP, LONDON
Britain’s Johanna Konta on Friday booked a spot in her first semi-final since Wimbledon last year, with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Dalila Jakupovic in a warm-up for the lone grass-court Grand Slam.
Konta next faces Donna Vekic of Croatia, who beat her in the Nottingham final 12 months ago.
The match was the first meeting between Konta and Jakupovic.
It was the Slovenian who made the first move by breaking serve to lead 2-1, but Konta kept her composure and, against an increasingly erratic opponent, won four games in a row to take the first set.
“It was very tricky out here, quite windy, and I’d never played her before,” Konta told Eurosport. “The most important thing is that I’m competing well and fighting for every single point. I’m definitely enjoying getting more matches under my belt and we’ll work toward getting another one.”
Konta beat Vekic at Wimbledon — but only after winning the deciding set 10-8.
“We’ve had some incredible battles, especially the last two times,” Konta said. “She’s playing very well on this surface.”
British No. 4 Katie Boulter had done well to reach a first WTA quarter-final, but her Nottingham run came to an end on Friday as top seed Ashleigh Barty of Australia won 6-0, 6-2.
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