Semi-final heartbreak for McHugh in Australian Open

Bearsden teenager Aidan McHugh's run in the Australian Open is over after he lost his Junior Singles semi-final to Taipei's Chun Hsin Tseng.
Aidan McHugh is out of the Australian OpenAidan McHugh is out of the Australian Open
Aidan McHugh is out of the Australian Open

The 17-year-old unseeded Scot battled back from losing the first set to square the match, despite having his momentum interrupted by a rain delay,

But number six seed Tseng took the deciding set to win 6-3 5-7 6-4 and book a final showdown with America's Sebastian Korda.

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McHugh beat Tseng last week on his way to the final of the pre-Open warm-up tournament in Traralgon, but both players struggled to hold serve in the early stages.

McHugh broke Tseng in the very first game, only to be broken right back and the Bearsden player then did likewise, dropping his serve to go 3-1 down and then breaking back to love.

The decisive point came in the eighth game when Tseng broke to go 5-3 up and then - after a titanic five-deuce game - won the set 6-3 on his fourth set point.

An early break to go 2-1 up in the second set appeared to put the Taipei player in control and on course for the final. But McHugh came roaring back with three games in a row.

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A break got things back to 2-2, powerful backhand and forehand winners ensured a hold and another break put the Scot a break up and on course to square the match.

The momentum had swung in McHugh's favour - but then the rain came and play had to be suspended.

It was frustrating for the Scot who had just come storming back into a match which was threatening to run away from him.

On the resumption on an indoor court Tseng was able to get the break back but just as a tiebreak seemed on McHugh broke again in the 12th game to take the set and square the match.

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In the deciding set Tseng broke again to go 3-2 up but McHugh once more refused to buckle and again broke straight back.

But another break in the ninth game gave Tseng the chance to serve for the match at 5-4 and although Aidan managed to save two match points it wasn't to be as the Taipei player converted the third to seal victory.

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