Nikoloz Basilashvili became the first player representing Georgia to reach an ATP World Tour singles final after making quick work of Serbian Dusan Lajovic at the Generali Open – Kitzbühel on Friday.
“I’m very happy [and] very proud of myself. I worked very hard for this,” said Basilashvili, whose banner season includes Challenger titles from Guangzhou (d. Lacko) and Heilbronn (d. Struff).
“I gave 100 per cent today. It was a very important match. I was a little bit nervous but I think I played great.”
The unseeded 24 year-old swept past his 26-year-old opponent 6-3, 6-1 in 64 minutes. Basilashvili won 73 per cent of first-serve points (30 of 41) and broke Lajovic four times en route to victory.
Lajovic was bidding for his first final of 2016, having also fallen at this same stage in Sao Paulo (l. to Cuevas).
In the other semi-final of the day, fourth seed Paolo Lorenzi needed 13 match points to advance past local favourite Jurgen Melzer, 7-6(4), 7-6(13). Lorenzi couldn’t convert on six match points at 5-4 in the second set and then squandered match six match points in the tie-break. The Italian saved two set points in the tie-break down 7/8 and 9/10 before finally converting the final point on his serve at 14/13.
Lorenzi is also looking for his first ATP World Tour title. His only other time in an ATP World Tour final came in Sao Paulo in March 2014 (l. Delbonis). This will be the first meeting between Lorenzi and Basilashvili.
Top Seeds Into Doubles Final
Top seeds Wesley Koolhof/Matwe Middelkoop advanced into the doubles final on Friday, defeating James Cerretani/Philip Oswald, 6-3, 6-7 [10-3]. The Dutch pair are looking for their second ATP World Tour title of the year, having prevailed in Sofia in February.
Pages: