Frantzen/Jebens ride home support into Stuttgart SFs

Germans Constantin Frantzen and Hendrik Jebens moved one step closer to claiming their maiden tour-level title Thursday at the BOSS OPEN.

The home favourites won a hard-fought battle, pulling away in the Match Tie-break to defeat Victor Cornea and Zhang Zhizhen 7-6(4), 4-6, 10-2 and reach their second tour-level semi-final of the season. Frantzen and Jebens will next meet Brazilians Rafael Matos and Marcelo Melo.

Also in Stuttgart, Julian Cash and Robert Galloway raced past Benjamin Hassan and Daniel Masur 6-2, 6-3 in just 53 minutes to book their semi-final ticket. The Briton-American duo faces Yuki Bhambri and Albano Olivetti in the last four.

Top seeds Koolhof/Mektic reach ‘s-Hertogenbosch final The top two seeds at the Libema Open remain on course for a final showdown, with Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic already into the championship match. Top seeds Koolhof and Mektic downed Nicolas Barrientos and Francisco Cabral 5-7, 6-2, 10-5 in the quarters Thursday and later advanced to the final following the withdrawal of Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson.

Second seeds Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow also needed a Match Tie-break, advancing to the last four with a 6-3, 6-7(3), 10-5 victory against Zizou Bergs and David Goffin. The Americans, who dropped just five points behind their first delivery Thursday according to Infosys ATP Stats, face Andreas Mies and John-Patrick Smith in Saturday’s semi-finals.

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Wednesday, 12 JuneJulian Cash and Robert Galloway continued their successful start to the grass-court swing Wednesday by upsetting fourth seeds Ariel Behar and Adam Pavlasek at the BOSS OPEN.

Fresh off a title run at last week's ATP Challenger Tour 125 event in Surbiton, Cash and Galloway built upon their momentum, earning a 7-6(3), 7-5 victory to reach the quarter-finals in Stuttgart.

Also at the ATP 250, Yuki Bhambri and Albano Olivetti advanced to the semi-finals after downing Theo Arribage and Sadio Doumbia 6-3, 6-2. Constantin Frantzen and Hendrik Jebens won an all-German quarter-final, rallying past Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 2-6, 7-6(5), 10-8.

Top 2 seeded teams advance in 's-Hertogenbosch
Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic overcame an early test to reach the quarter-finals at the Libema Open, where the Dutch-Croatian pair defeated Romain Arneodo and Sam Weissborn 7-6(8), 6-2. The top seeds, fifth in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Race To Turin, saved two set points in the opening-set tie-break.

Second-seeded American duo Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow earned a hard-fought 7-5, 6-7(3), 10-8 victory against home hopes Sander Arends and Matwe Middelkoop. Australians Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson also advanced in 's-Hertogenbosch with a 6-4, 7-6(6) win against Americans Ryan Seggerman and Patrick Trhac.