Bublik shows rare consistency to book spot in European Open semi-finals

Alexander Bublik, the No 3 seed, beat French qualifier Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to move into the last four of the European Open at the Lotto Arena in Antwerp on Friday.

Surprisingly, Bublik was out-aced across the match, with Perricard booming down 73 percent of first serves and landing 18 aces. The Kazakh, ranked No 36, will face the winner of the match between German qualifier Maximilian Marterer and Frenchman Hugo Gaston next.

In the previous round of the Antwerp Open, the Kazakh won against Frenchman Gregoire Barrere (6-4, 6-2).

Mpetshi Perricard, ranked No 226, edged out Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena, the No 6 seed (0-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4)) and won against Belgian wildcard David Goffin (7-5, 6-3) in the previous rounds of the Antwerp Open.

Antwerp ATP250, other quarter-final results (Lotto Arena, EUR 673.630, most recent results first):

• Arthur Fils vs. Juan Pablo Varillas
• Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Yannick Hanfmann
• Maximilian Marterer vs. Hugo Gaston