Zverev books spot in Halle semi-finals after Fritz exacts revenge on Shelton

[p]The world number three and top seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/raphael-c-xzJGXJ6t/zverev-a-dGbUhw9m/?mid=xI4JDlMc"]won 7-6(10), 7-6(3)[/a] on the lightning-fast grass, with both men holding their serve throughout the match in the traditional Wimbledon warm-up ATP event.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zverev-alexander/dGbUhw9m/"]Zverev[/a] converted his second match point against his Belgian rival to win in just over two hours in warm conditions in Germany's west.[/p][p][b]"It was an incredible match, with a very high level of play from both players,"[/b] Zverev said, adding, "those two sets could have easily gone the other way."[/p][embed guid="ba69773f-83cb-45d0-a7aa-cb6e027ef267" url="https://x.com/atptour/status/2067995000227381479" social-type="twitter" /][p]The German will face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fritz-taylor/UH09iaZ6/"]Fritz[/a] in the semi-finals in his bid to win a maiden grass court title of his career, just weeks after breaking through for a debut Grand Slam victory.[/p][p]Zverev, who made the final in Halle in 2016 and 2017, has a poor recent record against Fritz, having lost his past six matches against the American.[/p][p][b]Earlier on Friday, Fritz battled past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shelton-ben/QNuG0Gzb/"]Ben Shelton[/a] in three sets, exacting revenge on his countryman five days after losing the title match in Stuttgart.[/b][/p][p]World number nine Fritz [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/fritz-t-UH09iaZ6/shelton-b-QNuG0Gzb/?mid=4EcAb0Ra"]won 6-7(5), 7-6(8), 7-6(3)[/a] in two hours and 45 minutes.[/p][p]Shelton, the world number five, beat the 29-year-old Fritz to claim his first career title on grass in the Stuttgart ATP tournament last Sunday.[/p][embed guid="f0429adb-31e9-4d12-b0b0-6a505f46fe0d" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7Iz_L62i5g" social-type="youtube" /][p]It was a battle between the two American big servers; neither player was broken throughout the match, with each set win coming through tiebreaks.[/p][p]Shelton triumphed in the opening set. Fritz, a career grass court specialist, fought back to claim the second, saving a match point to force a deciding set.[/p][p]Shelton fell to the grass midway through the third set and limped back to his bench, but was able to continue.[/p][p]Fritz grew more confident as the match went on and was in control to win the third and final tiebreak.[/p][p]Later on Friday, German [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/altmaier-daniel/IPR8h9gM/"]Daniel Altmaier[/a] beat fourth seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/medvedev-daniil/O8qG0Nhb/"]Daniil Medvedev[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/altmaier-d-IPR8h9gM/medvedev-d-O8qG0Nhb/?mid=GtmBjbLr"]6-4, 6-7(6), 6-4[/a].[/p][embed guid="4903d969-9d66-46ba-b83c-fab4ee21954b" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd_63GNo21g" social-type="youtube" /][p]Altmaier will face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tiafoe-frances/AHDLJaph/"]Frances Tiafoe[/a] in the semi-finals, after the American outlasted world number four [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/auger-aliassime-felix/CzXh4LAb/"]Felix Auger-Aliassime[/a] following a thrilling final set tiebreak, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/auger-aliassime-f-CzXh4LAb/tiafoe-f-AHDLJaph/?mid=E9fihY2N"]3-6, 6-3, 7-6(12)[/a].[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/tennis/atp-singles/halle/"]Follow all the action in Halle right here.[/a][/b][/p]