Machac keeps winning in Almaty, Shevchenko reaches quarterfinals to delight home fans

Ravi Ubha

After getting used to the high altitude conditions at the Almaty Open, Tomas Machac picked up where he left off in Shanghai. 

Machac entered ATP’s lone 250 in Kazakhstan fresh off a semifinal berth in China, where he upset Carlos Alcaraz along the way. 

The Czech thus didn’t have much practice time in Almaty but after overturning an early 2-0 deficit Wednesday against former junior doubles partner Timofey Skatov, the fifth seed eased to a 6-3 6-4 win to reach the second round. 

«It’s very difficult because the conditions are totally different in Shanghai,» said Machac. «Here it’s altitude and I had just one practice before. 

«And the surface is completely different. I’m really happy with the performance. I wasn’t playing as good as I was playing (in Shanghai) but I tried to play as much as possible to the court (conditions) and it was a great tactic.»

Could Almaty be the site of Machac’s maiden ATP title? 

The way the world No. 25 is playing, it wouldn’t come as a surprise. 

A key title has already come in Kazakhstan, in 2021 when Machac bagged the Astana Challenger. 

«Those points helped me to continue in this journey,» said the newly turned 24-year-old. «And I like it there in Astana. I like to come to Kazakhstan. 

«Of course it’s the biggest title and I’m really looking forward to grab a title in a 250, so let’s see what is going to happen.»

Machac meets another wildcard from Kazakhstan in the next round, Beibit Zhukayev. 

Machac didn’t watch a lot of tennis in Shanghai but did glimpse one of Zhukayev’s matches while waiting in his hotel lobby. 

Another dramatic win for Shevchenko 

In the night session, Alexander Shevchenko delighted the home fans — and himself — by reaching the quarterfinals thanks to a dramatic 6-1 6-7 (5) 7-5 win over former Australian Open semifinalist Aslan Karatsev. 

Karatsev injured his left ankle and fell to the court deep into the second-set tiebreak yet carried on and forced a deciding set. 

The qualifier took a medical timeout and led 4-2 in the third, only to then leak more forehand errors than he would have liked. 

A solid Shevchenko broke in the last game and it made the world No. 61 the third player from Kazakhstan to feature in the last eight in event history after Mikhail Kukushkin — who he beat Tuesday in two tiebreaks — and Alexander Bublik. 

«Just happy about the performance and making this stat is something that I should be proud of and I will be,» said Shevchenko, who was watched by the key figure in starting Kazakhstan’s tennis boom, Bulat Utemuratov. «It was amazing, can’t describe it.» 

Fourth seed Francisco Cerundolo will face Shevchenko, having just lost to him in Shanghai. 

Cerundolo betters rising German teen

Cerundolo ended the memorable week of Justin Engel when he beat the 17-year-old wildcard 6-4 7-6 (3) earlier on centre court. 

Engel had downed Coleman Wong on Monday to become the youngest player to claim an ATP match since Alcaraz in 2020. 

He certainly didn’t look out of place against the three-time ATP title winner. 

Cerundolo, however, only ran into trouble on serve when he tried to close out the match in the second set. Engel capitalized on his only break opportunity but the Argentine surged in the tiebreak. 

«It’s always difficult to play a new guy,» said Cerundolo. «You don’t know how he plays. It’s a young guy so he has nothing to lose and he will play freely.»

Fellow South American Alejandro Tabilo only lost seven points on serve and didn’t face a break point in beating Germany’s Maximilian Marterer 6-2 6-4 to join Cerundolo in the quarterfinals. 

Tabilo is no stranger to playing at altitude since he often trains in Santiago. 

He was born and grew up in Canada. He will meet a Canadian next in the quarterfinals, Gabriel Diallo. 

It figures to be a special moment for the 6-foot-8 Diallo, since it marks a first ATP quarterfinal. 

Diallo beat Masters winner Borna Coric 7-6 (1) 6-4 and hasn’t been broken in his two Almaty matches.

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