Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Alex de Minaur will play Matteo Berrettini in the quarter-finals of the ATP Tour 500 event in Vienna after Berrettini’s fellow Italian Flavio Cobolli retired in their round of 16 clash.
De Minaur beat Learner Tien on Thursday (AEDT) to progress to the last eight, and he’ll now meet Berrettini for a spot in the semi-finals.
World No.48 Berrettini was leading 5-2 on Friday (AEDT) when his world No.6 opponent retired, fighting through tears from his chair during a change of ends.
It’s already a win for de Minaur, of sorts, as he chases a spot in the prestigious and lucrative ATP season finale in Turin for a third successive year.
There are eight spots available and ahead of the event in Austria, de Minaur was ranked 10th, but with second-ranked Jannik Sinner to miss due to injury, the Australian’s chances improved.
They have continued to improve this week with not just his own hard-earned points by making the quarter-finals, but with Cobboli, who was sixth on the standings, now out in Vienna, de Minaur has a great opportunity to continue to rise.
He was also assisted by Spain’s Rafael Jodar losing in the round of 16 at the Swiss Indoors in Basel. De Minaur had leap-frogged Jodar into eighth in the live standings after he beat Tien, adding further weight to his next clash with Berrettini.
Alexander Zverev also won through to the quarter-finals in Vienna, beating Tallon Griekspoor 6-4 7-5.
It confirms Zverev’s ascent to be world No.1 when the rankings are updated on Monday, making him the second German man, after Boris Becker, to reach top spot.
“To have the feeling to be on the top of the world is amazing,” Zverev said
“It is different than winning a tournament or a title, but it’s such a special feeling to know that the No.1 is going to be next to your name when the new rankings come out.”
Zverev is on de Minaur’s side of the draw in Vienna and they will meet in the semi-finals if they both win their next match.
