Andy Murray has advanced to the semifinals of the Challenger event in Aix-en-Provence after defeating French teenager Luca Van Assche. After his first-round loss at the Madrid Open last week, the Scot decided to drop down to the second tier, and his decision paid off, winning his third match in a row with a 6-2 7-6 (6) victory over Van Assche. Despite being seen as a big talent and already ranked in the top 100, 18-year-old Van Assche was no match for Murray’s solid performance from the baseline. Murray managed to avoid being taken to a deciding set, unlike in his second match against Laurent Lokoli on Thursday. Despite Murray missing a match point at 5-4 and seeing an early lead in the tie-break slip away, he saved two set points and yelled in delight when he made it over the line. The 35-year-old is seeking his first title at any level since Antwerp in 2019, having lost his last four finals. To reach the Aix decider, he will have to beat a Frenchman for the fourth match in a row, with 21-year-old Harold Mayot upsetting Alexander Bublik 6-3 6-1.
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