Yuichi Sugita of Japan takes on Australia’s Samuel Groth in the second semi-final of the McDonald’s Burnie International. The match will be played on February 3.
Sugita entered the semi-final of the event with a three-set win over Chen Ti in the last-eight stage match. He dropped the first set but came back to take the match 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Earlier, the Japanese eight seed had needed another three sets in his win over Zhang Ze of China, winning 6-1, 2-6, 6-3. He defeated John-Patrick Smith 6-3, 6-3 in the opening round.
Against him will be the only Australian to have got to the semi-finals, the wild-card entrant Groth. Groth has yet to drop a set in the tournament so far, winning his first round and quarter-finals in straight sets and getting a walkover in the second round.
Groth defeated James Lemke 6-4, 6-3 in the opener before getting a bye into the quarters when Denis Istomin retired from their match. In the quarter-final, he defeated another wild-card John Millman 7-5, 6-4 to make it to the semi-final.
The two players, Groth and Sugita have played each other twice with both winning one match. Expect a tough match here with Sugita winning in three.
The Yuichi Sugita v Samuel Groth McDonald’s Burnie International 2012 semi-final will be played on February 3. It will begin at 7.30 pm local time.
