Cameron Norrie battled back from a set down and overcame two rain-enforced delays to beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the quarter-finals of the Argentina Open.
The British number one posted a 5-7 6-0 6-3 win during two hours and 33 minutes of on-court action, but the contest did not officially end for over four-and-a-half-hours due to undesirable weather.
With the home crowd behind him from the get-go, Etcheverry immediately gave Norrie a couple of scares and brought up two break points in the first game of the match, although he failed to convert either one as the Brit came through an awkward hold.
Very little could separate the two competitors as the first set continued, with Etcheverry firing a few aces while Norrie won his fair share of points behind his second serve.
After 10 successive holds to start the match, the Argentine would bring up a first break point for either player in six games, and he converted to take a 6-5 lead and move one game away from the first set.
Norrie missed two chances to break back immediately, and those squandered opportunities proved costly, as Etcheverry took his third set point to take the first set before rain interrupted play.
It's a fifth career clay SF for @cam_norrie 🗣
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 17, 2023
The Brit battles back to down Tomas Etcheverry 5-7 6-0 6-3.@ArgentinaOpen | #ArgOpen2023 pic.twitter.com/CRqPW6kqMS
However, the weather-enforced delay was just what the doctor ordered for Norrie, who broke Etcheverry to love straight away in the second set before saving two break points to hold for 3-0.
The British number one continued his relentless advance against a flustered Etcheverry, who double-faulted twice on his way to falling 4-0 down before Norrie forced a third set with a bagel.
A love hold would be the ideal way for Etcheverry to regain some composure in the third set, but Norrie broke in the fourth game to lead 3-1 before the match was suspended due to rain for a second time.
Following the second restart, Norrie would come through another tricky hold before earning the double break, thus presenting himself with the chance to serve for a place in the semi-finals.
However, Etcheverry would crucially break to stay in the contest before holding to cut the deficit down to 3-5, but Norrie brought up two match points in his next service game and converted the second to book his place in the final four.
Norrie will meet Italian third seed Lorenzo Musetti or Peruvian qualifier Juan Pablo Varillas for a place in the final, while two of Carlos Alcaraz, Francisco Cerundolo, Bernabe Zapata Miralles and Dusan Lajovic will contend the other semi-final.
Ben Knapton
