Aussie Jordan Thompson outplays Taylor Fritz to reach Queen's Club semifinals, Ajla Tomljanović makes last four in Birmingham (2024)

Jordan Thompson has continued his late-career breakthrough season by powering past American number one Taylor Fritz into a semifinal at the Queen's Club Championships in west London.

Thompson was matched by compatriot Ajla Tomljanović, who reached the last four at the Birmingham Classic.

The blossoming Australian stalwart, flourishing on his favourite grass-court surface, defeated world number 12 Fritz 6–4, 6–3 in their Friday quarterfinal for one of his best wins of an increasingly notable 2024 campaign.

Reaching his first-ever last-four appearance at ATP 500 level, the delighted Sydneysider smiled afterwards: "I'm getting old now, it just goes to show that if you stick at it long enough, you can keep improving, whatever age you are, and I feel like I'm getting better."

Thompson, who won his first ATP tournament title after 11 years on the circuit in Mexico in April, has emerged refreshed after a dismal clay-court spell for an impressive assault on the title at the sport's biggest grass-court event outside Wimbledon.

Already having accounted for world number 15 Holger Rune and local hero Andy Murray, who had to retire early with injury, Thompson quite outplayed Fritz, who had won their two previous encounters.

The American looked thoroughly out of sorts, struggling with his footing a little and slipping a couple of times as Thompson led him a merry dance with his superior grass-court nous, emerging victorious after less than 80 minutes.

Thompson, the world number 43, is enjoying such a good run that a place as one of the 32 seeds at Wimbledon is not out of the question as he looks forward to a semifinal against Lorenzo Musetti, conqueror of Aussie number one Alex de Minaur earlier in the week, after the Italian beat British wildcard Billy Harris 6–3, 7–5.

Thompson largely dominated from the start, buoyed by the sunny weather, as he created most of the break-point openings in the first set.

He finally broke through when Fritz endured a stinker of a service game at 4–4, following up three forehand errors with a baseline slip that allowed the Australian to ease a backhand winner into the undefended court.

Things got worse for the American at the start of the second set, when a double fault gifted Thompson a break to love and the Sydneysider never released his grip, not even offering a single break point as he raced to victory on the back of 22 winners.

"It was extremely solid," he said.

"It's probably one of the toughest tournaments in the world, so to come through to the semis is extremely pleasing, especially after I've had a rough run recently."

That rough run had featured not a single win since April. What was the difference here?

"A green surface. It's not brick dust — I much more prefer this one," said Thompson.

The rare opportunity for two Australians to make the semifinals was extinguished much later in the evening on Friday when Sydney qualifier Rinky Hijikata was left frustrated, succumbing 6–7 (4/7), 6–3, 6–4 to American Sebastian Korda after an impressive opening.

Korda set up an all-American semifinal with fifth seed Tommy Paul, who spoiled the locals' fun by dispatching home hope Jack Draper 6–3, 5–7, 6–4 just 24 hours after the young Briton had knocked out Carlos Alcaraz for the biggest victory of his career.

Tomljanović comeback gathers pace

Tomljanović has been left celebrating another landmark on her road back to the top, reaching her first WTA tournament semi-final of the year in Edgbaston.

The Australian number one this time last year, who has since sunk to national number 10 after a series of injury and illness setbacks, showed her true colours on the comeback trail at the Birmingham Classic.

Tomljanović roared to victory after being outplayed in the first set of their quarterfinal by former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez.

In just her fourth competition back after a four-month lay-off following a knee injury and surgery to remove non-cancerous uterine tumours, Tomljanović's 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 triumph was further evidence that the 31-year-old is finding form just in time for Wimbledon.

Twice before, Tomljanović has reached the last-eight at Wimbledon and her liking for grass courts was showcased once again as she dominated the young Canadian Fernandez after a puzzlingly dismal start.

"I'm a little bit surprised to be honest because I don't know what happened in that first set. I really felt a bit outplayed," Tomljanović told the crowd at Edgbaston Priory.

Tomljanović said she "absolutely hates playing lefties" and, with tongue firmly in cheek, blamed Swedish coach Robert Lindstedt for her lack of preparation as 21-year-old Fernandez took six straight games, including a break at the start of the second set.

"I was slow, so I definitely thought, 'this can't go any worse for me, so let's try to get more than one game on the board'," Tomljanović said.

On Saturday, Tomljanović, who is still seeking her maiden triumph at 250 level, has the opportunity to reach just her fifth WTA final when she tackles Russian world number 36 Anastasia Potapova, an opponent she leads 2-1 in head-to-heads.

The other semi pits Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto against experienced Moscow-born Kazakh Yulia Putintseva.

AAP