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The sixth day of main draw action at the 2023 ATP 250 Estoril Open on Saturday will feature both the semifinals. Two seeds will be in action.
On Friday, all four quarterfinals were played out. Two seeds - Miomir Kecmanovic and Casper Ruud - reached the last four, but two other seeds - Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Sebastian Baez - weren't as fortunate.
So, without further ado, here's a look at how the two semifinals could pan out in Estoril Open on Saturday:
#1 Miomir Kecmanovic vs Marco Cecchinato
Sixth-seed Miomir Kecmanovic takes on the unseeded Marco Cecchinato in the first semifinal of the Estoril Open.
The World No. 40 Kecmanovic improved to 11-8 on the season with a trio of wins this week. The 23-year-old beat Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles in straight sets to book his place in the last four. He had opened his campaign with a straight-set win over Luca Nardi before downing Jurij Rodionov for the loss of just one game.
Meanwhile, the 96th-ranked Cecchinato is also having an impressive campaign of his own, seeing off third seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in straight sets in the quarterfinals. Having beaten Diego Schwartzman and his compatriot Fabio Fognini in the first two rounds, the 30-year-old Italian is now 6-3 in 2023.
Kecmanovic took the pair's lone meeting on the clay courts of Santiago last year in the first round without dropping a set. The Serb is expected to replicate that result as he seeks a second final of the season (also Delray Beach).
Prediction: Kecmanovic in straight sets
#2 Casper Ruud (Estoril Open top seed) vs Quentin Halys
Top seed Casper Ruud will seek to reach his first final of the season in Estoril when he takes on Frenchman Quentin Halys in the second semifinal.
The fifth-ranked Ruud saw off Baez for the loss of just three games, including a bagel set, to improve to 7-6 on the season. Earlier, the 24-year-old Norwegian had opened his campaign with a come-from-behind three-set win over Joao Sousa.
Meanwhile, World No. 80 Halys saw off two-time Roland Garros runner-up Dominic Thiem in straight sets for his 11th win in 20 matches in 2023. Earlier, the 26-year-old opened his campaign against Nuno Borges in a straight-set win before doing likewise against fourth seed Roberto Bautista Agut in the last eight.
Ruud took his lone meeting with Halys in the Australian Open first round five years ago and should win again.
Prediction: Ruud in straight sets
