Shimabukuro routs Dellien 6-3 6-1 in Cincinnati qualifying

Sho Shimabukuro produced a one-sided performance in the Cincinnati qualifying semifinals, beating Hugo Dellien 6-3, 6-1. The Japanese landed only 54.3% of his first serves, but it barely mattered: he won 84.0% of those points and an extraordinary 85.7% behind his second delivery, so pressure on his own games was almost non-existent. Dellien, by contrast, was undone once his opening ball missed, taking just 22.7% of second-serve points and coughing up five double faults against 57.1% won on first serve. Both men struck three aces, but the return games told the story. Shimabukuro moved to within one win of the main draw.