Stuttgart Open Semifinal preview: Jack Draper faces Brandon Nakashima test, Lorenzo Musetti to meet Matteo Berrettini in all-Italian clash

The Boss Open in Stuttgart is moving towards the conclusion where remaining players are battling it out to secure the ultimate prize.

The competition has been looked as a prime opportunity to prepare for the upcoming Wimbledon 2024. The second Grand Slam of the year will start from the 01st of July.

The semifinal lineup in Stuttgart is complete. In the first semifinal, America’s Brandon Nakashima will face Britain’s Jack Draper.

Nakashima cemented his place in the last four after Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff withdrew just before the start of the quarterfinal.

He booked his place in the last-eight after beating France’s Richard Gasquet in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 6-4.

His opponent, Draper, secured his place in the semifinal after beating America’s Frances Tiafoe in the last-eight clash with a score of 5-7, 6-4, 7-6.

The 22-year-old, in that match, produced 31 aces which was 19 more than his opponent on the day. He ended up producing 58 winners as well.

It will be only the second meeting between the two. In the previous meeting, which was in the semifinal of the Bergamo Challengers in 2023, Draper came out on top with a score of 6-1, 3-6, 7-5.

In the other semifinal, fans will get to witness the all-Italian contest where Lorenzo Musetti will face Matteo Berrettini.

Musetti booked his place in the last four after his opponent Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik was forced to withdraw from the last-eight clash because of a fitness concern.

During the match, Bublik won the first set with a score of 6-4. In the second, Musetti made a remarkable comeback and levelled the match after winning the set with a score of 6-1. In the third and the final set, the Italian was leading 1-0 when the game was called off.

His opponent, Berrettini defeated Australia’s James Duckworth in the quarterfinal in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 7-5.

It will be the second meeting between the two. In the previous meeting, Musetti won in straight sets, 7-6, 6-2, during the Napoli Open in 2022.