Fognini Beats Ramos-Vinolas For Moscow SF Spot

Fabio Fognini got the better of Albert Ramos-Vinolas for the second time in as many weeks. The Italian extended his FedEx ATP Head2Head lead to 8-0 lifetime against the second seed with a 6-2, 6-2 victory on Friday for a place in the VTB Kremlin Cup semi-finals. Fognini, who also beat his Spanish opponent at last week’s Shanghai Rolex Masters, recorded his 25th match win of the year in 76 minutes. He will now challenge third seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, who beat Thomaz Bellucci 6-4, 6-2 in 76 minutes.

A duo of promising Russian teens enjoyed breakthrough runs in Moscow, but were felled by experienced opponents in the final eight. Daniil Medvedev took the second set 6-0 against veteran Stephane Robert, but lost 7-5, 0-6, 6-4 in his maiden ATP World Tour quarter-final. Nineteen-year-old Alexander Bublik pushed No. 6 Pablo Carreno Busta to a deciding tie-break, but succumbed 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(1). Robert and Carreno Busta will face each other for a place in the final.

Cabal/Farah Edge Russian Duo

Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah rallied to beat Konstantin Kravchuk and Andrey Kuznetsov 3-6, 6-2, 10-4 to reach the final. The No. 2 seeds are currently No. 10 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Race To London.