Auger-Aliassime, Shapovalov ousted in semifinals at Wimbledon tune up events
The Canadian Press | Posted: June 19, 2021 4:32 PM | Last Updated: June 19, 2021
Unseeded Ugo Humbert to face No. 4 Andrey Rublev in Sunday's Halle Open final
Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov suffered semifinal losses Saturday at warmup events ahead of Wimbledon.
Montreal's Auger-Aliassime dropped a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5) decision to Ugo Humbert of France in a battle of unseeded players at the Noventi Open in Halle, Germany.
WATCH | Auger-Aliassime outlasted in 3 semifinal sets at Halle Open:
Earlier in the week, Auger-Aliassime defeated Swiss star Roger Federer.
Shapovalov, the No. 2 seed from Richmond Hill, Ont., dropped a 7-5, 6-3 decision to Britain's Cameron Norrie at the Fever-Tree Championships in London.
WATCH | Shapovalov loses in straight sets in London:
Norrie will meet Matteo Berrettini in Sunday's final after the top-seeded Italian defeated Australia's Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4.
Norrie joked that he'll "have a chat" with Andy Murray — the last British player to reach the final, in 2016 — for tips on how to beat the hard-serving Berrettini.
"He's got a huge serve, he's one of the best players on the tour at the moment," said Norrie, who represents Britain after being born in South Africa, growing up in New Zealand, and playing collegiately in the United States.
"It's obviously a huge tournament for me and one of my biggest achievements so far," he continued. "Let's see if I can get one more tomorrow."
Humbert to face Rublev in Halle final
Russia's Andrey Rublev, the No. 4 seed, defeated Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in the other semifinal. Rublev and Humbert will meet in the final on Sunday.
Rublev claimed his 33rd match win of the year, second only to Stefanos Tsitsipas' 39.
He also took his match record in ATP 500 events to 29-2 since the Tour resumed last year after the coronavirus shutdown — a period in which he has won four titles at that level.
Main draw play at Wimbledon begins June 28.