Dominic Thiem has found his form and now finds himself in the Antwerp semifinals on Saturday, when he will run into Sebastian Korda. Felix Auger-Aliassime and Richard Gasquet are also aiming for a spot in the title match.
(PR) Dominic Thiem vs. Sebastian Korda
Breaking into the top 100 at the end of 2022 probably isn’t a milestone that peak Thiem would have ever thought would be a scenario, but considering where he was this summer it would actually be an impressive accomplishment. After missing almost a full year due to a wrist injury, the former world No. 3 plunged as low as 352nd in the rankings. However, the top 100 is exactly where he will find himself if he wins Saturday’s European Open semifinal match against Korda. Thiem is working his way back up the rankings with quarterfinals results in Bastad and Kitzbuhel, semifinal showings in Gstaad, and Gijon, and a runner-up performance at the Rennes Challenger. The 29-year-old Austrian is now into the Antwerp semis following victories over Michael Geerts, Francisco Cerundolo, and Hubert Hurkacz.
Korda will match his career-high ranking of No. 30 if he lifts the trophy on Sunday. The 22-year-old American is two wins away after defeating Marcos Giron, Karen Khachanov, and Yoshihito Nishioka. Korda has dropped only one set (to Giron) and he is coming off a 6-0, 6-2 whitewash of Nishioka. With Thiem having gone deep into third sets against both Cerundolo and Hurkacz, a rested and extremely confident Korda should have a significant edge.
Pick: Korda in 2
Richard Gasquet vs. (2) Felix Auger-Aliassime
Auger-Aliassime and Gasquet will also be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers on Saturday. With only two more weeks to go after this one prior to the Nitto ATP Finals, Auger-Aliassime is making a major push for successful qualification. The 10th-ranked Canadian is currently occupying the final spot in the race to Turin following his title last week in Florence. His bid to go back-to-back is on track thanks to Antwerp wins over Manuel Guinard and Dan Evans.
Gasquet booked his spot in the semis by beating Stan Wawrinka, Dominic Stricker, and David Goffin. The 36-year-old Frenchman has been clutch in pressure-packed moments, with a 3-0 record in tiebreakers this week–including two won by 8-6 scorelines. Gasquet has been to only one ATP final since the end of 2018 (lost in the 2021 Umag final), as going deep into tournament often takes a physical toll on him. Auger-Aliassime represents a steep step up in competition and he is unlikely to have trouble putting an end to Gasquet’s successful week.
Pick: Auger-Aliassime in 2
WWW?