Britain’s Jack Draper reached his first ATP Tour remaining by beating Jan-Lennard Struff on the Sofia Open and lengthening his profitable streak to 9 matches.
The 21-year-old, who gained final week’s ATP Challenger Tour occasion in Bergamo, Italy, gained 6-3 6-4 towards the German.
Draper will face French second seed Adrian Mannarino in Saturday’s remaining in Bulgaria.
He’s the youngest British man to achieve a tour remaining since Andy Murray, on the similar age, in Miami 14 years in the past.
“Clearly I’m very proud,” Draper mentioned. “Andy is an incredible participant. I hope sooner or later I can do what he is carried out within the sport however it’s a protracted technique to go and I am going to maintain attempting.”
Draper has been constructing momentum in latest weeks in what has been a promising season that has included reaching the final 16 of the US Open in September.
He had already knocked out prime seed Lorenzo Musetti of Italy within the final 16 in Sofia, earlier than one other composed efficiency towards third seed Struff to achieve the ultimate with out dropping a set.
The Briton recovered instantly from an early break to string collectively back-to-back breaks that despatched him on his technique to taking the opening set.
He was equally beneath strain firstly of the second set however fended off 5 break factors in his first two service video games to remain degree together with his opponent till he created the important thing break within the seventh sport to tug clear. He served out the win three video games later, sealing it on his third match level.
“I feel I’ve obtained to only try to maintain the rhythm,” Draper mentioned. “It was powerful out right here with some tense moments. It was a semi-final to get into my first remaining so I used to be nervous, however I got here via it effectively.”
He’ll tackle skilled world quantity 25 Mannarino, who beat Russian Pavel Kotov 6-2 (7-6) 7-2, on Saturday (13:00 GMT).
Draper’s season had been disrupted by harm however he has come again from a shoulder downside to reveal his thrilling potential, together with his good type additionally coming at an ideal time for Nice Britain’s Davis Cup quarter-final later this month.
He’s within the squad for the tie towards Serbia in Spain on 23 November, which is being proven stay on BBC Sport.
