On-form Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has moved into position for a run at a second straight title at the Vienna Open, eliminating top seed Alexander Zverev 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 in the quarter-finals.
The world No.15, who has a long-odds chance of claiming the eighth and final qualifying position at the ATP Finals in London next month, won the European Open in Antwerp last weekend, his fourth title of the season.
Tsonga took just over 90 minutes on Friday to eliminate 20-year-old Zverev, who is a confirmed participant in London, having qualified third behind Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
The French eighth seed matched the young German with 10 aces while breaking four times.
Zverev lost his fourth quarter-final of 2017 after winning eight on the way to five trophies this season.
Tsonga leads the ATP with a 19-2 record indoors.
He next faces Philipp Kohlschreiber for a place in the final after the German booked his spot by beating Diego Schwartzman of Argentina 7-5 7-6 (8-6).
Kohlschreiber was playing his fifth Vienna quarter-final and now stands 4-1 in the capital.
Lucas Pouille became the second Frenchman into the semis, beating Richard Gasquet a day after Gasquet upset second-seeded Austrian Dominic Thiem.
Pouille ran his season quarter-final record to a spotless 6-0.
Brit Kyle Edmund ventured into unchartered territory by reaching the first 500-level semi-final of his career, beating Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff 6-2 7-5.
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