Controlled aggression on key points helped Philipp Kohlschreiber into his fourth Auckland Open tennis semi-final, setting up a clash with American Sam Querrey.
Kohlschreiber didn’t have much to spare on Thursday in his 7-6 6-4 quarter-final win over Xavier Malisse of Belgium, who was also in good touch.
But when it mattered, Kohlschreiber struck, winning a tight first-set tiebreak 8-6 and securing a vital break in the second set with some breathtaking tennis.
“I tried to be kind of aggressive, to play the point, not to wait for the opponent to make mistakes,” he said.
“Especially in the tiebreak, you try to be the guy that’s playing the point.”
In nine visits to Auckland, the German player has made the semi-finals four times – 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2013. He lost all bar 2008, when he went on to win the tournament.
His semi-final opponent will be big-serving American Sam Querrey, who beat Jesse Levine of Canada 6-4 7-6.
“If he serves well, then you cannot do too much. If I play a lot of balls back, then I think I have a good chance to beat him from the baseline but, if he serves well, then I have to wait for my chances.”
Querrey, the beaten finalist in Auckland in 2009, had to work to beat Levine but he only lost his serve once – early in the first set after having already broken Levine – and it was no surprise he wrapped up the opener in a tiebreaker.
The 198cm American has been in great form since June, for which he gives some of the credit to his travelling chiropractor Casey Cordial.
“Casey has been there every week since June,” Querrey said.
“We do a ton of work on my shoulder, rotator cuff, elbow. He makes me go out 100 per cent every day.”
The clash will be the first for Kohlschreiber and Querrey outside grand slams, in which the American holds a 2-1 advantage.
Top seed David Ferrer is also through, easily disposing of Slovakia’s Lukas Lacko 6-2 6-1.