Ugo Humbert reached the semi-finals at Queen's after completing a suspended quarter-final against Hamad Medjedovic, ending a match that had been split across two days. Humbert finished it with an ace after overturning the first-set advantage Medjedovic had built the day before.
For those following Humbert tennis on day five at Queen's, the appeal was simple: a place in the last four was on the line, and the match resumed with the score already locked at 6-2, 6-7. Medjedovic had taken the opening set 6-2, then Humbert answered by edging the second 7-6 before play stopped overnight and the third set was left for later.
When the match picked up again, Humbert carried the momentum into the decider and closed it out in front of a live crowd with the sort of finish that leaves no doubt. coverage summed it up in one line: Humbert sealed his semi-final spot with an ace.
The result mattered because Medjedovic had been in control first. He won the opening set cleanly, and Humbert had to fight back to level the match before the suspension gave both players a night to reset. That made the return all the more unforgiving for Medjedovic, who had done the hard work early but could not finish it once play resumed.
Humbert's advance also came on a day when another seed fell, with Brandon Nakashima beating top seed Alex de Minaur 7-5 6-3 in the quarter-finals. Nakashima took the first set and then broke de Minaur in game eight of the second, a reminder that the draw at Queen's was opening up fast.
The one detail left hanging is why the Medjedovic-Humbert match was stopped in the first place. What is clear is that the restart changed everything: Medjedovic left with the opening set, Humbert left with the semi-final spot, and Queen's moved a step closer to its weekend finish.
Elsewhere, Arthur Fery was due to meet seventh seed Francisco Cerundolo in the third match on Andy Murray Arena, while Tommy Paul was set to face fourth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata was awaiting the winner of Medjedovic v Humbert, but Humbert made sure that next meeting will not involve Medjedovic.
