Federer sees off Fucsovics to reach semifinals

Swiss Roger Federer returns the ball to Hungarian Marton Fucsovics

Saving four set points in a dramatic first set tie-break, Roger Federer overcame Marton Fucsovics to enter the semifinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Chasing his 100th career title in Dubai, the Swiss maestro recorded a 7-6 (8/6) 6-4 win over the inspired Hungarian in Thursday's third quarterfinal on the Centre Court.
Despite two rain-breaks, the second seed held his nerve against a very talented opponent and got the important break of serve in the ninth game of the second set before completing the straight-set win on his second match point.
The win also kept the seven-time Dubai champion's record of never losing a quarterfinal in this award-winning tournament intact.
Earlier, Greek sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas and French entertainer Gael Monfils overcame three-set battles to enter the semifinals.
Tsitsipas was given a run for his money by Poland's Hubert Hurkacz before the fifth seed competed a 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (1/7) 6-1 win after a marathon two-hour- 19 minute battle to set up a semifinal clash with Monfils. The 20-year-old Tsitsipas, who announced his arrival on the biggest stage with a stunning run to the Australian Open final in January, won a tight first set in the tie-break.
The Greek then served for the match at 5-4 in the second set, but Hurkacz broke and completely dominated his rival in the tie-break to the match into the third set.
Tsitsipas, who won the Open 13 title in Marseille last Saturday,
The 32-old Monfils was also pushed to the limit by Lithuanian qualifier Richard Berankis in Thursday's first quarterfinal, but the Frenchman held his nerve in the final set to clinch a 6-1 6-7 (3/7) 6-2 win. This is the third semifinal appearance of the year for the 32-year-old Monfils who won the Rotterdam title couple of weeks ago.
Having won the first set in emphatic style, Monfils was in control in the second set, serving for the match at 5-4. But Berankis, who won two rounds of qualifiers before winning two more rounds in the main draw, broke back and took the match into the third set with solid play in the tie-break.
In the third set, Monfils was back to his best, getting two breaks of serve against the Lithuanian.
And Berankis's sixth double fault of the match in the eighth game of the third set gave Monfils his 12th win of the season. "It was a tough match really. I was little bit upset that I couldn't close the match in two sets and I have to give him credit also because he went for his shots and he was very brave at the net," said Monfils.