Daniil Medvedev will remain without a title on grass this season after succumbing on Thursday in straight sets against Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarterfinals of the Mallorca tournament.
Medvedev, number one in the world, lost 6-3, 6-2. The Russian came with a mark this year of 8-2 in duels on that surface, and with defeats in consecutive finals in Germany and the Netherlands.
Medvedev, who will not play at Wimbledon due to a ban by Russian and Belarusian tennis players over the war in Ukraine, had to come from behind to beat compatriot Aslan Karatsev in the round of 16 on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old Russian had only one break chance against world-ranked 20th-ranked Bautista Agut, who had advanced without playing in the round of 16 due to Nick Kyrgios withdrawing with an abdominal injury.
Second-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas had easily earned his ticket to the quarterfinals but needed three sets against American Marcos Giron to reach the semifinals on Thursday. He won 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3 in a clash that lasted more than two and a half hours.
“It was a lot of work today. It wasn’t easy,” Tsitsipas said. “I had to deal with the heat, I had to deal with my rival playing very well. It was a huge physical effort. I had the fighting spirit.”
The sixth-seeded Greek, who leads the tour with 38 wins this season, will next face Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi, who beat German Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-4.