Roberto BAUTISTA AGUT (ESP) plays Matteo BERRETTINI (ITA) on court John Cain Arena during their semi final match on Day 4 of the ATP Cup at Melbourne Park on Saturday, February 6, 2021. MANDATORY PHOTO CREDIT Tennis Australia/ Rob Prezioso
Roberto Bautista Agut and Carlos Alcaraz earned Friday quarter-final victories to send two Spaniards into the semis of the Swiss Indoors for the first time.
RBA’s 7-5, 7-6(5) defeat of Stan Wawrinka marked the end of home participation at the first edition after the retirement of Basel-born Roger Federer, a 10-time champion here.
Top seed Alcaraz defeated compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 6-4 to book his Saturday spot.
No Spaniard has ever won the Basel title, with Rafael Nadal playing a 2015 final and losing to Federer.
RBA had lost three previous Basel quarter-finals ans was glad to get over that hump to finally reach the last four.
“You live to play these kind of matches in front of a full crowd and against an unbelievable player like Stan,” the 34-year-old sixth seed said.
“It was important for me to reach the semi-finals, it was a good match, good fight.”
The Spaniard said that playing against an entire stadium of well-behaved Swiss was fair considering the reverse of the situation in his home country.
“The crowd was for Stan, but I wanted to enjoy a match with a full crowd.
“When I play in Spain the crowd is behind me.”
Wawrinka, who has never been past the last eight here, dropped to 2-3 in Basel quarter-finals with his defeat in two hours, 10 minutes.
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