Generali Open: Arthur Cazaux keeps climbing, Into the semis after straight-sets win over Struff

Arthur Cazaux is finding his groove on clay — and fast. The 22-year-old Frenchman advanced to his second ATP semi-final in as many weeks on Thursday with a convincing 6-3, 6-4 victory over German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff at the Kitzbühel Open.

The Montpellier native, ranked No. 100 in the world, backed up his run to the final four in Gstaad last week with another sharp display in Austria. Against Struff, a powerful and experienced opponent, Cazaux dominated with his aggressive baseline play, efficient serving and calm under pressure, wrapping up the match in just over 90 minutes.

Rinderknech up next: a French duel

“I’ve never played him in a match before, but we’ve practiced a lot. I know what to expect — he hits really hard and I’ll have to be ready for a battle,” Cazaux said ahead of his semi-final clash with fellow Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech. “There’s no friendship when we step on the court — we’re both here to win,” he added with a smile.

This latest win adds another chapter to what is shaping up to be a promising summer for the young Frenchman. After fighting his way through qualifying at Wimbledon and taking a set off Alex de Minaur in the second round, Cazaux reached the semi-finals in Gstaad last week — and now finds himself one win away from a maiden ATP final in Kitzbühel.

He’s beaten solid opponents en route: Peru’s Ignacio Buse in a tight three-setter in the opening round, Argentina’s Francisco Comesana (ATP No. 73) in straight sets, and now Struff, a former top-30 player.

A breakthrough season taking shape

Cazaux first burst onto the international radar with a headline-grabbing win over Holger Rune at the Australian Open in January, and while injuries have occasionally slowed him since, his recent run confirms that he’s building momentum again.

Whether or not he reaches his first final this week, one thing is clear: Arthur Cazaux is one to watch in the months ahead.

Kitzbuhel ATP 250, other quarter-finals results (Kitzbühel Tennis Club, clay, EUR 596.035, most recent results first):

• Thiago Seyboth Wild vs. Botic van de Zandschulp
• Alexander Bublik vs. Alexander Shevchenko
• Arthur Rinderknech beat Yannick Hanfmann (Q): 6-4, 3-6, 6-1