Kyle Edmund’s hopes of a maiden ATP Tour title are over for another week after a three-set quarter-final defeat by home favourite Joao Sousa at the Estoril Open.
The British No 1 won through to his first ATP Final in Marrakesh earlier this year, ending a run of five successive semi-final defeats before losing to Pablo Andujar in the final but his tournament hopes in Portugal were ended by the Portuguese No 1.
Seeded third, Edmund was never quite at his best having lost the first set to Sousa and despite rallying to level the match by taking the second it was his opponent who dominated the final set to complete a 6-3 1-6 6-0 victory.
Sousa will face Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last four after the Greek teenager continued his impressive recent form by coming from a set down to beat Roberto Carballes Baena.
Tsitsipas was runner-up to Rafael Nadal in Barcelona last weekend, the best showing of his formative professional career and his latest run underlines the 19-year-old’s growing reputation.
Having accounted for top seed Kevin Anderson in the previous round he was favourite to topple Carballes Baena and he responded with a 6-7 6-2 7-6 victory.
Meanwhile in Germany at the Munich Open, top seed and defending champion Alexander Zverev eased into the last four with a routine victory in the all-German quarter-final with Jan Lennard Struff.
Zverev has returned for form at the last couple of Masters events, reaching the last four in Monte Carlo and the final in Miami, but he is still seeking a first title of 2018.
The world No 3 saw off the threat of Struff in the last eight for a second successive year thanks to a 6-3 6-2 victory that sees him into a semi-final clash with last year’s NextGen champion Hyeon Chung who was too strong for Martin Klizan – the fourth seed ran out a 6-3 6-4 winner.
The other semi-final will be an all-German affair as Philipp Kohlschreiber takes on world No 73 Maximilian Marterer.
Three-time champion and sixth seed Kohlschreiber was too good for second seed Roberto Bautista Agut thanks to a 6-4 6-4 victory, while Marterer accounted for Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics in straight sets.
