Los Cabos | Norrie makes Mexican semi-final

The semi-final line up for the Abierto de Tenis Mifel tournament in Los Cabos, Mexico, pitches the to seed Daniil Medvedev against Miomir Kecmanovic and in the bottom half, Britain’s Cameron Norrie against the second seed, Felix Auger Aliassime.

“I’m playing great here so far. Of course, the further you go, the tougher the matches, the tougher the opponents, more pressure. “But that’s what we like and I’m looking forward to tomorrow. Daniil Medvedev

World number one Daniil Medvedev, playing in his first tournament since June, powered into the last four with a 6-2 6-2 victory over Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis to record his 251st win on the Tour, reeling off eight successive games from 2-2 in the first set to take control of the match.

“My opponent played very different, much more aggressive,” Medvedev said comparing the match with his opening win.

“To be honest, against that type of player sometimes you don’t have much to do. Just try to serve well, bringing the balls back in the court.

“That’s what I managed to do. He missed a little but too much today and that was enough.”

He saved two break points in the opening set but was otherwise largely untroubled, clinching the win with his eighth ace on match point as he finished it out with a love game.

Next up for the Muscovite is the fourth-seeded Serb Miomir Kecmanovic who beat American Brandon Nakashima 6-2 6-4.

“I’m playing great here so far,” Medvedev, chasing his first title of the season, added. “Of course, the further you go, the tougher the matches, the tougher the opponents, more pressure.

“But that’s what we like and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Meanwhile Canadian Auger Aliassime lost just one point on first serve as he fought off a stern challenge from Steve Johnson to defeat the American 6-4 7-6(3) victory.

“I know my serve can be a really good weapon for me, a really strong one,” the second seed said in his on-court interview. “Today I showed it, not facing a break point. That stat, I don’t know if I’ve done that before.”

While he threatened with seven break points in the second set, Johnson held firm to force a tie-break which remained on serve until two untimely forehand errors from Johnson brought up match point.

“The crowd was really nice today. It’s better not to play a Mexican here, so that was also nicer for me,” he added having defeated a local boy in his opening match on his debut in Los Cabos!

In his chase for a second title of the season, he will face Britain’s No.1, Norrie, the third seed, who defeated Moldova’s Radu Albot 6-3 7-6(4) for his allotted place in the semi-finals in what will be their fifth meeting, all of which have gone his way.