Yuriy Rodionov has reached the semi-finals at the ATP-Challenger tournament in Ningbo (China) after a sensational comeback. The Austrian qualifier defeated the Australian Jordan Thompson in three sets.
For Rodionov, it is the greatest success of his young career. The 18-year-old left-hander is the first time that he has entered the final round of a Challenger event. The youngster was already trailing the world’s number 76 by 3:6 and 1:5 before he made the impossible possible.
After a great race to catch up, Rodionov turned his first match point into a 3:6,7:6 (5) and 6:4 after 2:32 hours. In the match for the final draw, Austria’s hope for the future will be met on Saturday (not before 9 a. m. CEST in the LIVE-SCORES) by the Russian veteran Mikhail Youzhny.
The current number 691 in the world is already one of the top 500.
Gerald Melzer is also in the semi-finals for the parallel sand court challenge in Cali (Colombia). The fifth seeded Lower Austrian will play Federico Delbonis (Argentina/2) against Federico Delbonis (starting at 9 p. m. CEST in the LIVE-SCORES) today to enter his third Challenger finale of the season.