ATP Sofia: Jannik Sinner and Vasek Pospisil set title clash

The 19-year-old Jannik Sinner is through to his first ATP final and the first for the 2001 generation. The Italian ousted the 5th seed Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 7-5 for a career-best result, hoping to become the 12th teenager with an ATP trophy since 2005. Jannik fired nine aces and fended off all three break points to mount the pressure on the other side of the net. The more experienced Frenchman lost ground when it mattered the most, suffering one break in each set to propel the youngster into the title clash and finish his season with the semi-final run. Sinner held with a service winner in the opening game, followed by Mannarino who placed a perfect backhand down the line winner to level the score at 1-1. Jannik fired another strong serve to claim the third game and forged the first advantage when Adrian netted an easy forehand in game six. The Italian cemented the break with an unreturned serve and secured the opener when a left-hander netted a backhand in game nine.

Sinner landed an ace in the second set's second game before facing the first problems at 1-2, fending off two break chances to stay on the positive side. The Frenchman earned another opportunity at 3-2, denied by Sinner who forced a mistake to survive another challenging service game. Jannik served well in the remaining three games, mounting the pressure on the other side of the court. Adrian produced five comfortable holds before losing ground at 5-5, failing to handle a volley and getting broken at love. Serving for the victory, Jannik held at love with a forehand crosscourt winner, securing a place in the first ATP final as the youngest Italian in the Open era.

Jannik Sinner became the first player born in 2001 to reach an ATP final.

Vasek Pospisil will also try to win the first ATP title on Sunday following a 6-7, 6-2, 6-0 triumph over Richard Gasquet. They stayed neck and neck in the opening set after no breaks of serve, staying close to each other in the tie break before sprayed two backhand errors at 6-6 to hand it to his opponent. Starting all over, Pospisil lost only nine points behind the initial shot in sets two and three, raising his level and leaving Gasquet far behind to sail over the finish line. The Canadian rattled off five straight games in set number two from 2-1 down, saving a break point in game eight and landing an ace to close the game and the set ahead of the decider. Bothered with a right knee injury, Richard lost all six games in the final set and allowed Vasek to seal the deal with an ace at 5-0 and march into the third ATP final.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3eWITeJ