Aleksandar Vukic's hopes of making it into a second ATP final and enjoying another crack at a maiden triumph have crumbled in Kazakhstan.
The Sydneysider, who reached a semi-final on the Eastbourne grass this year and featured in a hard-court final in Atlanta in 2023, this time had to give second best to always tough Russian Karen Khachanov in the Almaty Open semi-finals on Saturday.
The 28-year-old heavy-hitting Aussie, who had achieved one of the best wins of his career 24 hours earlier when defeating top seed Frances Tiafoe in the quarters, this time found third seed Khachanov too tough to handle after a good start as he went down 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 6-4.
