ATP Budapest: Filip Krajinovic and Matteo Berrettini set final clash
Ranked inside the top-30 a year ago, Filip Krajinovic couldn't follow the same pace in the rest of 2018, struggling with injuries and winning just 14 matches on the Tour. After failing to defend the points at Paris Masters where he played the final in 2017, Krajinovic dropped out from the top-90 at the end of the season and is currently 105th, entering the ATP 250 event in Budapest as a qualifier. Playing healthy again, Filip has shown his full potential and advanced into the second ATP final following a commanding 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Pierre-Hugues Herbert in 59 minutes.
Krajinovic won their match in Miami a month ago and was the dominant figure today as well, serving at 76% and dropping only six points behind the initial shot to keep the pressure on the other side of the net. Pierre-Hugues has been playing well recently but stood no chance against the Serb, losing almost half of the points in his games and suffering four breaks from eight opportunities offered to Filip. The Serb secured a break in the very first game of the match when Herbert's forehand landed long and held at love with a service winner to cement the lead and settle into a nice rhythm early on a day after he defeated Borna Coric.
Filip secured another break at 3-1 to extend the advantage and sealed the opener with three winners at 5-2 in just over 30 minutes, hoping for more of the same in the rest of the encounter. There was nothing the Frenchman could do on the return in set number two as well and the serve let him down, suffering a break at 1-1 after a perfect drop shot from Krajinovic who moved 5-2 up with a break at love in game seven when Pierre-Hugues netted a forehand. Serving for the win, Filip sealed the deal with three winners in game eight and will now play for the first ATP title against Matteo Berrettini.
The Rome native is through to the second ATP final after Gstaad last year, beating Rio de Janeiro champion Laslo Djere 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 19 minutes. Delivering fury on both the first and second serve, Berrettini dropped only 11 points in nine service games, fending off the only break point he faced and stealing 40% of the return points for three breaks from five opportunities that propelled him into the title match. Matteo erased that break point with a service winner in the second game and broke Laslo in the next game after a backhand error from the Serb.
They both served well in the remaining seven games and Berrettini clinched the first part of the match with a hold at love in game ten after forcing an error from Djere. The Italian never looked back and grabbed another break at the beginning of the second set with a forehand winner, serving well and extending the lead to 4-1 after another break that sealed Laslo's fate in this match. Matteo moved over the top when Djere netted a forehand in game ten and we should get a thrilling final between him and Krajinovic.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2IL4sBx
No comments