After five consecutive quarter-final losses at the Challenger level, former world no. 17 Bernard Tomic is finally through to his second semi-final of the season. The Aussie entered the Taube - Grossman Pro Tennis Tournament in Fairfield as the 7th seed and prevailed over Alexis Galarneau 7-6, 1-6, 7-6 in two hours and 32 minutes, fending off two match points in the closing stages and entering the last four.
Bernard served well in the opening set, missing his chances on the return before prevailing 8-6 in the tie break. Alexis took charge in the second set, delivering three breaks and using that momentum to open a 4-2 gap in the decider.
The former top-20 player bounced back with a double break and served for the win at 5-4. The Canadian pulled the break back and generated two match points at 6-4 in the tie break, only to drop four straight points and propel the Aussie through.
Tomic served at 50% and struggled behind the second serve.
He faced only six break points but failed to defend any, losing ground after the opener but remaining competitive.
Galarneau played against 14 break points, mainly in sets one and three, defending 11 and missing his opportunities. The former Wimbledon quarter-finalist lost all the energy after a thrilling battle, although we have to praise his fighting spirit, especially in the second part of the decider.
Alexis held at 30 in the first game of the encounter with a forehand down the line winner. Bernard responded with a hold at 15 in game two, taming his strokes nicely in windy conditions. The Aussie welcomed a massive mistake from his rival in the third game, generating three break chances.
The Canadian denied them and held with an ace for a 2-1 advantage. Former world no. 17 closed the fourth game at 15, and his rival followed that at a few minutes later, opening a 3-2 lead. Tomic landed a slice winner in the sixth game and made another push on the return in the next one.
Bernard Tomic saved two match points against Alexis Galarneau in a thriller.
The 7th seed squandered two break points, the second after a 36-stroke exchange and a loose forehand, allowing his opponent to remain in contention.
Bernard fired two winners at a deuce in the eighth game for 4-4 and felt no pressure while serving to stay in the set in game ten, producing a hold at love and extending the battle. Galarneau held at 15 in the 11th game, and Tomic responded with another fine hold a few minutes later, introducing a tie break.
Alexis missed a chance on the return in the third point before moving 3-2 up and taking two points on serve. The Canadian landed a lob winner in the seventh point, earning a mini-break and opening a 4-3 gap. Bernard defended nicely in the next one, pulling the mini-break back and hitting a forehand winner at 5-5 for a set point.
Galarneau denied it with a forced error before losing a point on serve after the rival's lucky net cord backhand winner. Tomic converted the second set point with an ace, wrapping up the opener in 59 minutes.
Alexis made a fresh start in the second set, painting a backhand down the line winner and securing a break in the first game.
He saved a break point in the second game and closed it with a service winner for 2-0. The Canadian took charge from the fourth game and rattled off 14 of the last 16 points. He broke at love in the fifth game and notched the set after Bernard's double fault at 1-5.
The Aussie raised his level and created five break chances at the beginning of the final set. He converted the last after the rival's double fault, building an early advantage but losing it after a wild backhand in the next one, bringing his rival back to 1-1.
They served well in the next three games, with Galarneau moving 3-2 up after the rival's wayward backhand. Tomic missed a routine backhand in the sixth game, losing serve at 15 and moving closer to the exit door.
The 7th seed pulled the break back in the next one after the opponent's double fault, reducing the deficit and holding at love for 4-4.
Galarneau netted a backhand in the ninth game, getting broken for the second straight time and allowing Bernard to serve for the win at 5-4. The Canadian stayed focused and pulled the break back with a lob winner in game ten, extending the battle and hoping for more in the tie break.
Tomic forced the rival's mistake in the fourth point and moved 3-1 in front. Alexis erased the deficit and won two points on serve at 3-4. Tomic netted a routine forehand in the tenth point, playing against two match points. The Aussie saved the first with a volley winner and locked the result at 6-6 when his opponent placed a regular backhand into the net.
Bernard secured another mini-break for 7-6 and a match point, converting it after a strong defense and an extended rally, drawing an error from his rival and rattling off four points to emerge at the top.
