Tiafoe through to fourth semi-final of the season at Japan Open

Frances Tiafoe beats Miomir Kecmanovic 6-0, 6-4 in straight sets and will play wither Pedro Martinez or SoonWoo Kwon in the next round

Image Credit: AI / Reuters / Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

October 7, 2022

Fourth seeded Frances Tiafoe advanced to the semi-finals of the Japan Open in Tokyo with a comprehensive straight-sets win over Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic at the Ariake Colosseum on Friday.

Tiafoe, who is ranked a career-high No 19 in the world, needed only one hour and 11 minutes to win 6-0, 6-4.

The US Open semi-finalist has yet to drop a set in Tokyo this week. In the earlier rounds, he beat Japanese wildcard Yasutaka Uchiyama (6-3, 6-4) and Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles (6-1, 7-6 (7)).

“Winning is more of a habit now – I want more and more” – Tiafoe

Speaking on court after his win, Tiafoe said he is no longer satisfied after winning one or two matches in a tournament and wants to get into the deeper end of the draws.

“Winning is more of a habit now,” Tiafoe said. “I want more and more. I don’t get complacent after winning a couple of matches. I want to go deep and play on a lot more Sundays. I’m happy but we got more work to do.”

Tiafoe is now 3-1 lifetime against Kecmanovic and is through to this fourth ATP semi-final of the year but his first at the ATP 500 level.

This is also Tiafoe’s second career ATP 500 semi-final, with the previous one coming in Vienna in 2021. He is guaranteed to move up to at least No 17 in the new rankings next week.

The American will play the winner of the match between Spaniard Pedro Martinez and SoonWoo Kwon for a place in Sunday’s final.