Semi special Kuhn on path to double tennis glory in Paris

Nicola Kuhn confirmed his status as one of the world's hottest young tennis talents by storming into the Junior French Open semi-final at Roland Garros on Thursday morning.

And on a sensational day during which the Torrevieja kid had to play THREE matches, he and playing partner Zhombor Piros also stormed into the last four of the junior doubles.
Kuhn, who has now chalked up seven successive victories at Roland Garros, thrashed Australian contender Blake Ellis in a morning singles showdown – 'bageling' the 2016 Australian Open doubles champion 6-0 in the first set to crown a week of triumphs.

   In earlier rounds he despatched German Marvin Moeller (7-5 6-1), Japan's Naoki Tajima (5-7 6-2 6-4) and Chun Hsin Tseng of Taipei (6-1 6-3).

Kuhn, 17, was seeded 11 in the boys' singles, despite holding an ATP world ranking at senior level bettered only by top seed Miomir Kecmanovic  of Serbia, who will face Nico in Friday's semi-final.

The seedings were no doubt influenced by Nico's lack of junior action this year as he concentrates on climbing the ATP men's ladder. Roland Garros is his first junior tournament of 2017, as a result of which has seen him drop in the rankings from world number five to number 96.

Meanwhile, Kuhn and Hungarian Pilos - the top seeds - eased their way into the doubles semis with TWO victories on a day when Kuhn saw more action than any other player in the entire tournament.

 They had to fight back from a set down in both matches, winning the deciding tie-break sets 10-2 and 10-5 respectively.

Kuhn, who rarely plays doubles, has been in blistering singles form since teaming up with his old coach Pedro Caprotta at Torrevieja Tennis Club earlier this year. He spent five years living and training at former world No.1 Juan Carlos Ferrero's Equelite Tennis Academy in Villena before the switch.

' 'I wanted to make a change because I thought it would be best for me and my tennis,'' says Nico. “At the moment it is proving so. These things happen, there are times when you need a different direction and look for a change.''

Kuhn, who recently became only the second player born this century to win a men's professional title, is currently ranked 530 by the ATP. American-based Kecmanovic is ranked 466 but it is honours even in previous contests, Kuhn having beaten the Serb in three sets in Osaka in 2015 and Kecmanovic reaping revenge, also in three sets, in last year's Junior US Open quarter final.