ROTTERDAM: Third-seeded Gael Monfils set up an exciting title clash last night against Felix Auger Aliassime in the Rotterdam Open.
Monfils battled past Filip Krajinovic of Serbia 6-4, 7-6 (5) while Aliassime scored a stunning 7-6 (2), 6-4 victory over World No 30 Pablo Carreño Busta.
Aliassime thus became the youngest finalist in Rotterdam Open history.
The 19-year-old star smashed 16 aces past Carreño Busta in an hour and 49 minutes of action, making this his third consecutive win in straight sets.
Auger-Aliassime also dominated on his first serve (94 percent of points won to Carreño Busta’s 67 percent); he won a tiebreaker to win a close first set and then fought off a break point up 4-3 in the second set to help secure victory.
The final match in Rotterdam - played on an indoor hardcourt - will serve as Auger-Aliassime’s fourth career tournament final and first of 2020.
Though he made three finals last year in Rio de Janeiro, Lyon and Stuttgart, the World No 21 player is still in search of his first career ATP title in his second year on tour. None of his previous three final appearances happened at hardcourt events.
n In Bangkok, Swiss qualifier Leonie Kung extended her dream run in the Thailand Open yesterday, stunning Nao Hibino in the semi-final to set up a title clash with fifth seed Magda Linette in only her second main-draw appearance at a WTA event.
A day after knocking out world number 27 Wang Qiang, Kung showed character to beat her Japanese opponent 7-5 4-6 6-3.
“I’m super tired but also super happy to be able to win tonight,” the 19-year-old said after prevailing in the two-and-half-hour slugfest, which was halted for nearly half an hour after the Centre Court lights went off.
Losing the first set gave eighth seed Hibino a jolt, and she raced to a 3-0 lead in the second and eventually forced the decider.
Kung kept her nerve in the final set and dropped to her knees and pumped her fists when Hibino’s return on match point hit the net.
“I’m really nervous inside and not as composed as it may look,” the teenager said.
Comeback
Linette remained on course for her second WTA title after the fifth seed beat Patricia Maria Tig 7-5 6-4.
The Pole began with a love hold in the opening game and even claimed the opening break, but Romanian Tig staged a comeback to put her two points away from claiming the set.
Linette, the highest-seeded player in the last four, raised her game just when she needed to snatch the set in less than an hour.
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