Berrettini blisters unknown to book Kitzbuhel semis

Matteo Berrettini dispatched an unknown journeyman challenger on Thursday to reach his second clay semi-final in as many weeks with a  7-6 (5), 6-3 defeat of Nicolas Moreno de Alboran.

The high-altitude clay event offers the same conditions as last week in Gstaad, where Italy’s Berrettini picked up his second title at the Swiss alpine resort.

Thursday victory in less than two hours came against a mystery opponent inserted into the draw as a wild card. de Alboran is listed by the ATP as American but carries a Spanish flag next to his name.

The No. 143, aged 27, first played in a main draw at the US Open last autumn and has a career best on the Tour of a Marrakech quarter-final.

Berrettini advanced to the semi-finals where he will face a first-time opponent in German Yannick Hanfmann.

Berrettini won his eighth match in a row and his ninth straight tiebreaker as he advanced in Austria.

“I’m really happy for the performance,” the No. 50 winner said. “I’d never played him and didn’t know what to expect.

“I had to dig deep in my energy and my level.”

Berrettini said he had his troubles in the opening set before hitting stride in the second.

“I couldn’t break him in the first and was down in the tiebreaker. I thought I might lose, but I fought hard.

“In the second set my level was better. I’m really happy to go through.”

The Italian improved to 13-1 on clay this season, with his only loss coming last April in Monte Carlo.