Top seed Taylor Fritz continued his pursuit of a third Rothesay International title, downing Chinese qualifier Juncheng Shang 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) in the quarterfinals Thursday in Eastbourne, England.
Fritz, who captured the event in 2019 and 2022, won 50 of 54 first-serve points (92.6 percent), racked up 20 aces and saved all four break points he faced in capturing the match in one hour, 46 minutes.
He will face Australian lucky loser Aleksandar Vukic, who ousted Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) to advance to the semifinals. British wild card Billy Harris eliminated Italy’s Flavio Cobolli 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4), 6-2. Harris will play Australian qualifier Max Purcell, a 6-3, 7-6 (4) winner over Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic.
Mallorca Championships
Top seed Ben Shelton had match point on serve in the third-set tiebreaker before British qualifier Paul Jubb rallied for the upset, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (8), in the quarterfinals in Spain.
Jubb, who won an NCAA singles championship in 2019 while at the University of South Carolina, converted his seventh match point against World No. 14 Shelton, a college singles champion in 2022 at Florida. Shelton had more aces (13-1) and winners (44-24) as well as unforced errors (32-14) on Thursday.
Sixth-seeded Gael Monfils of France, in his first grass tournament since Wimbledon in 2021, advanced to the semifinals by defeating Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Monfils faces fourth-seeded Alejandro Tabilo of Chile, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Czech Jakub Mensik. Austrian Sebastian Ofner downed Alex Michelsen 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 and will meet Jubb in the semis.
