A Prestigious Lineup for the Phoenix Challenger Semifinals
The Phoenix Challenger, a tournament that serves as preparation for the Miami Masters 1000 for some top 100 players, once again welcomed a strong field this year. The quarterfinals took place this Friday in Arizona, featuring two French players.
While Corentin Moutet was eliminated by Alexander Bublik (2-6, 7-6, 7-5) after a tense end to the match between the two, a second French player was on the courts: Hugo Gaston. The Toulouse native faced a tough challenge as he took on João Fonseca.
The 18-year-old Brazilian, who won his first ATP title in Buenos Aires in February, broke into the top 100 for the first time in his career after the Australian Open and is riding a wave of confidence. This was evident against Gaston, as Fonseca secured a straight-sets victory (6-4, 6-4).
There will therefore be no French players in the final four. Top seed Nuno Borges (world No. 36) defeated Colton Smith (6-4, 6-4) to advance to the semifinals. The last player to qualify for the Final 4 in the American city is Kei Nishikori. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the Japanese player overcame Flavio Cobolli (6-2, 4-6, 6-4).
The semifinal matchups are now set. This Saturday at 9 PM (French time), Nuno Borges will face Alexander Bublik, followed by a clash of generations between João Fonseca and Kei Nishikori for a spot in the final.
Phoenix 
