Gilbert Beats Krickstein at Grand Slam

Brad Gilbert outlasted Aaron Krickstein, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-3, in an error-filled match today and reached the semifinals of the $6-million Grand Slam Cup.

Only Gilbert held serve in the third set, as both players repeatedly broke each other. Krickstein lost his serve in his last five service games.

The match between the two Americans was marred by sloppy play.

Krickstein dropped his serve for the first time in the seventh game of the first set, but regained the break in the eighth game, sending the set into a tiebreaker.

He won the tiebreaker, hitting a good forehand on his approach to the net. A frustrated Gilbert, who had led in the tiebreaker, 3-1, hit a ball into the stands and was given a warning.

Both players held serve in the first two games of the second set, but traded breaks in the next four.

Gilbert fought off two more break points before hitting an ace to take a 4-3 lead. Krickstein then held serve for the last time in the match.

Gilbert evened the score when he won the set on Krickstein’s double-fault.

The two then broke each other until the fifth game of the third set, when Gilbert served an ace to win the game at love and take a 3-2 lead.

Another double-fault by Krickstein gave Gilbert what proved to be a decisive 4-2 lead. But Gilbert dropped the next game when his backhand sailed long.

Gilbert had 41 unforced errors, while Krickstein committed 36.