Herbert Ousts Defending Champion Tsitsipas At Open 13 In Marseille

Unseeded Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert on Friday eliminated the defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas to advanced to the semi-final of the Open 13 tennis tournament in Marseille.

Herbert, ranked 93rd in the world, won 6-7, 6-4, 6-2 in just over two hours to claim his first victory over a player in the top five.

Tsitsipas, 22, who had been seeking a third consecutive title at the tournament, edged the first set.

But from 4-4 in the second set, it was one-way traffic as Herbert raced to the net to finish points and then matched the Greek in exchanges from the baseline.

"I knew I was going to have to play an amazing match to have a chance to win," said Herbert after the success.

Effort
"And I managed to do that. I am really happy about the way I played. I am so happy to be in the semi-finals here.”

Herbert will take on one of his compatriots - Arthur Rinderknech or Ugo Humbert - on Saturday for a place in Sunday's final.

“That's good that there is going to be a French player in the final,” said Herbert. “I am happy about that and I hope it is going to be me.”

Top seed Daniil Medvedev, the Australian Open finalist, will take on the qualifier Matthew Ebden in the other semi-final.

Medvedev overpowered the fast rising Italian Jannik Sinner 6-2, 6-4 while Ebden came from a set down to see off Medvedev's fellow Russian Karen Khachanov 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.