Van Assche downs Heide in straight sets in Cincinnati qualifying

Luca Van Assche kept control from start to finish, beating Gustavo Heide 6-3 6-4 in the qualifying semifinals in Cincinnati. The Frenchman's first delivery was the difference: he landed only 56.2 percent of them but won 83.3 percent of those points, and even his second serve held up at 60.7 percent despite five double faults. Heide, by contrast, put just 51.8 percent of first serves in and won 75.9 percent behind them, while his second serve returned only 48.1 percent, leaving him exposed in the longer games. Four aces to two could not bridge the gap, and Van Assche moved a step closer to the main draw.