Alexander Zverev marked his rise to world number one with a dominant victory over Britain’s Arthur Fery to reach the semi-finals of the Vienna Open.
The German top seed, who is set to replace Jannik Sinner at the summit of the men’s rankings, needed just 58 minutes to secure a comprehensive 6-0 6-2 win.
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Fery did not look at his best throughout the encounter after receiving treatment on his leg near the end of his last-16 win over Lorenzo Musetti on Thursday.
The match was a repeat of the pair’s Wimbledon semi-final this summer, which Zverev won in straight sets to end Fery’s remarkable run.
“I think Arthur is a bit of a different opponent than I had yesterday. He doesn’t have the same firepower, but he plays tactically extremely well,” said Zverev.
“I know the score was 6-0 6-2, but he should not put himself down too much. It is his first year on the Tour and he is doing amazing things.”
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Like at Wimbledon, Fery upset the odds to reach the last eight in Vienna by beating former world number five Musetti, but the 24-year-old was outclassed by Zverev.
Zverev dropped only six points on serve in the match, while bringing up nine break points against Fery, converting five of them.
The German is aiming for his third title this year after winning the French Open and US Open.
He has taken advantage of injuries to Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner this year to leapfrog them in the rankings, becoming the second German to reach the top of the men’s game after Boris Becker in 1991.
Zverev will face Australian fifth seed Alex de Minaur or Italy’s Matteo Berrettini in the last four.
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In the other semi-final, Spanish second seed Alcaraz will face Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev.
Seven-time Grand Slam-winner Alcaraz beat American seventh seed Tommy Paul 6-4 7-6 (7-2) in his quarter-final.
Medvedev triumphed over France’s Adrian Mannarino 6-2 6-3 in his last-eight tie – a victory which seals the 30-year-old’s place in the season-ending ATP Finals.
It will be Medvedev’s seventh time appearing at the finals as he joins the already-qualified Zverev, Alcaraz and Ben Shelton.
At the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, world number one Elena Rybakina withdrew from her quarter-final tie against Leylah Fernandez with a neck injury.
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Rybakina’s withdrawal comes one day after she secured the year-end women’s singles number one ranking.
Fernandez, who received a walkover, will face Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova in the last-four.
