Devvarman eases into Delhi Open semis

Top Indian tennis player Somdev Devvarman entered the men's singles semifinals of the $100,000 ONGC GAIL Delhi Open ATP Challenger at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) Complex here Friday.

Unseeded Chinese Ze Zhang ceded the match after losing the opening set 2-6 in 35 minutes to the second seed, giving Devvarman an easy route to the last four.

The World No.96 was leading 6-2 when the Chinese retired citing a shoulder injury. Zhang had injured his right shoulder before this match and could not play the second set.

The 29-year-old Indian converted three of his four break points while the Chinese also broke the Indian once.

Devvarman was up 5-0 when the Zhang took time out for medical treatment. Post the break, he seemed to have reinvigorated and was back to winning ways, clinching back-to-back games. But Devvarman eventually held his serve to close out the set after which the Chinese retired.

Devvarman will next play Russian fourth seed Evgeny Donskoy, who beat Radu Albot of Moldova 6-2, 6-2 in 57 minutes in the other quarterfinal.