The Mallorca Open semifinals were confirmed on Thursday following an eventful day of quarterfinal action. France’s Corentin Moutet battled past American youngster Learner Tien in straight sets, while Dutch fourth seed Tallon Griekspoor, American Alex Michelsen, and Canadian second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime also secured their places in the final four.
Corentin Moutet defeated Tien 6-2, 7-5 in a match marked by both tension and controversy. After cruising through the opening set with aggressive play and tight control, Moutet found himself in a heated dispute early in the second. The argument stemmed from a contentious point awarded to Tien, after Moutet touched the net before the ball had bounced twice.
The Frenchman furiously contested the call and initially refused to resume play, smashing multiple rackets in frustration. Despite the emotional outburst, Moutet eventually regained focus and composure to close out the match, earning his first-ever semifinal appearance on grass.
Reflecting on the win, Moutet acknowledged the challenge posed by Tien. "I was trying to stay aggressive. He's very good, very solid," he said. Moutet now prepares to face third seed Alex Michelsen, who ended Spanish hopes by defeating local favourite Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 7-6(4) in a closely fought quarterfinal.
Meanwhile, Tallon Griekspoor made light work of Canadian sixth seed Gabriel Diallo, winning 6-4, 6-4. Returning strong after withdrawing from the French Open due to injury, Griekspoor looked confident and in control, breaking early in the second set and maintaining momentum throughout. He will next face Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semifinals.
Auger-Aliassime had to dig deep after losing the opening set to Serbian Hamad Medjedovic. The Canadian second seed responded with powerful baseline play and improved serving to turn the match around, eventually claiming a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory.
With the final four now set, the Mallorca Open is poised for an exciting conclusion, with emerging talents and experienced contenders all eyeing the title.
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