Munar marks his return to the quarterfinals in Hong Kong | ATP Tour

Hong Kong

Munar marks his return to CF in Hong Kong

His next rival will be Lorenzo Musetti

January 02, 2025

Jaume Munar is back in the ATP Tour quarterfinals. The Spaniard will be in this instance for the first time since the beginning of 2024 in Santiago, thanks to his victory this Thursday against the Portuguese Nuno Borges with sets of 6-3, 7-5 in the round of 16 of the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open.

His high level in Hong Kong had already been made clear two days ago with his victory in three sets against the also Spanish Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. This Thursday it was evident again on court No. 1 of the competition and against the fifth seed.

The No. 62 in the PIF ATP Rankings had a set and break lead (6-3, 3-2) when he lost his serve for the first time in the match. However, he did not lose sight of the north. He broke once again at 5-5 and this time he did not let the advantage slip by serving for the match.

The 27-year-old right-hander now leads his Lexus ATP HeadToHead 2-0 with the current world No. 36, whom he had already beaten last year in Madrid.

This result also means Munar’s third qualification within a quarter of the circuit on fast courts, and first for three years at the ATP 250 in Melbourne in 2022. He will now be looking for his first semifinal overall on the ATP Tour since Santiago 2023.

His next rival will be the Italian Lorenzo Musetti, with whom he has a 1-1 record. The Spaniard won in Santiago 2023; the Italian, at Wimbledon, also two years ago.

The second seed in Hong Kong has just defeated the Canadian Gabriel Diallo with sets of 6-4, 6-3 to add his first victory of the season. The No. 17 in the PIF ATP Rankings ended 2024 losing his last three matches, but this Thursday in Hong Kong he returned to victory with a successful debut.

In addition to saving the two break points he had, he broke twice, enough to deserve a place in the quarterfinals. This result, after one hour and 26 minutes of play, leaves his Lexus ATP HeadToHead at 1-1 with Diallo, who had defeated him two years ago in the Davis Cup.

For his part, Pedro Martínez, also from Spain, could not accompany Munar in the Hong Kong quarterfinals, falling to the Chinese Juncheng Shang 6-3, 6-1 in one hour and 17 minutes.

Shang will face Hungarian Fabian Marozsan, who surprised defending champion and top seed Andrey Rublev 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 in one hour and 58 minutes.