Matt Ebden has reached his first career ATP semifinal after beating Tobias Kamke at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, taking his winning streak to five.
Newport, RI, USA, 21 July 2017 | AAP/tennis.com.au
The 29-year-old came back from a set down against Germany’s Tobias Kamke to win 4-6 7-6(6) 6-4 in Newport on Thursday.
Never give up, never surrender ✔️ @mattebden reaches his first @ATPWorldTour semifinal with a 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 win over Kamke. #DellTechOpen pic.twitter.com/UjBAZIRuwe
— Tennis Hall of Fame (@TennisHalloFame) July 20, 2017
As well as Ebden’s singles success, Australia has enjoyed a stellar week in doubles at the grasscourt tournament, with Sam Groth, Matt Reid, John-Patrick Smith, Andrew Whittington and Alex Bolt all advancing to the semifinals.
Ebden will face Germany’s Peter Gojowczyk who beat defending champion Ivo Karlovic of Croatia in three tiebreaks.
Should the West Australian prevail in that encounter, big-serving American John Isner – who knocked out Ebden’s countryman Sam Groth on Wednesday – or fourth-seeded Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert may loom on the other side of the draw.
World No.249 Ebden, who was born in South Africa, has won four ATP doubles titles and reached a career-high singles ranking of No.61 in 2012.
In the doubles event, there’ll be an all-Aussie semifinal after Reid and Smith, and Bolt and Whittington, won their respective quarterfinals over seeded opponents on Thursday.
¬¦ºª @abolt15/@andrew_whitt93 pull off the upset over No. 2 seed Gonzalez/Lipsky 6-3, 7-5 to reach the semifinals #DellTechOpen pic.twitter.com/QgThyGU7wR
— Tennis Hall of Fame (@TennisHalloFame) July 20, 2017
Joining them in the final four is Groth, who with partner Leander Paes beat Artem Sitak and Wesley Koolhof in straight sets.