(Reuters) -Top seed and home favourite Alexander Zverev beat Brandon Nakashima 7-5 6-4 to advance to the semi-finals of the Stuttgart Open on Friday while Americans Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton also reached the last four.

Playing on home soil, Zverev saved both break points he faced against Nakashima before emerging a 7-5 6-4 victor in one hour and 31 minutes

Ben Shelton defeated Jiri Lehecka in the Stuttgart quarterfinals and achieved a milestone never before seen in American tennis.