Botic van de Zandschulp, the second seed, Bonzi has already defeated twice, is his next opponent. Bonzi anticipates a difficult semifinal match because he respects his opponent’s abilities.
In 2021, Benjamin Bonzi displayed admirable performance on the Challengers circuit. The Frenchman won six tour titles that year, three of which came in a row beginning in February. He was the first player to accomplish this rare feat since Mikhail Youzhny in 2016. He is the only player in ATP Challenger history to win six singles titles in a season, joining Facundo Bagnis (2016), Juan Ignacio Chela (2001), and Younes El Aynaoui (1998). The run might have begun exactly one year ago if Bonzi had not lost to James Duckworth in the final of the 2020 Bengaluru Open in straight sets. The 60th-ranked player wants to go one step further and win his first ATP title at the Tata Open Maharashtra with another successful run in India. He said, “Every time is a good time in India.”
Before shocking Emil Ruusuvuori, the tournament’s third-seed, in the round of 16, Bonzi defeated Chun-Hsin Tseng 6-0, 6-3 in his first match at the Pune Mhalunge Balewadi Tennis Complex. In the quarterfinals, the 26-year-old continued his remarkable form by defeating world number 54 Filip Krajinovi 7-6(5), 6-4. He attempted more breakpoints in the first set before holding his nerve in the tiebreaker. Bonzi broke serve three times in the Tata Open semifinals to defeat the other player in the second set.
“The battle was difficult. I had numerous chances to score points and break them. It was challenging in the first set. Using the new balls, I was successful. After that, I had to serve the set, but he came back, and in the tie-break, we were very close. The same thing happened in the second set, which featured a lot of long rallies from the baseline. “It was tough, but in the end, I won the match and another one tomorrow,” he said in an interview with Hindustan Times following the match.
In his first ATP semi-final in 2022, Bonzi lost to Andrey Rublev at the Open 13 in Marseilles. He went on an incredible run to reach the semifinals of the Mallorca Championships without dropping a set a few months later. However, once more he was stopped by tournament champion Stefanos Tsitsipas.
“I feel good here because of the conditions. Prior to this, I had never been to the Centre Court. Every time is a good time in India. Three years ago, I reached the finals in Bengaluru, and I’m currently in the semis of this ATP competition. As he strives for a third victory, Bonzi said, “That’s great.”
“I want to win one tournament this year. If this is the one, I’m not sure. I gained a lot of knowledge the year before, and this year I’m more dangerous in those tournaments. Let’s keep fighting because the season has started off well.”
Following that, Bonzi, who has won seven Challengers Trophies in his career, discussed the various levels of tennis played in ATP tour events.
“Winning against challengers is difficult. The ATP events stand out significantly because you can compete against the best players even in the first round. If you are unhealthy, you cannot participate in these tournaments. “You have to play these tournaments with emotion, confidence, and experience,” he stated.
Bonzi’s next opponent is second-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp. Bonzi has lost to van de Zandschulp twice before, once by scores of 4-6, 7-5 at a Challenger event in Hamburg in 2020 and once by scores of 6-7(6), 6-7(1) in Winston Salem. Bonzi anticipates a difficult semifinal match because he respects his opponent’s abilities.
It’s great to be in the semifinals. We are familiar with one another because we have practiced together a few times. Last year, he beat me. He is a very tough player who plays very well from the baseline, which I am aware of. In every way, his efforts are admirable. Even though it is a semi-final, it will be difficult.”