Top-seeded Holger Rune and second-seeded Grigor Dimitrov each recorded straight-set wins on Saturday to advance to the final at the Brisbane International in Australia.
Rune, who had seven aces, won the final eight points of the match to secure a 6-4, 7-6 (0) win over Roman Safiullin of Russia. The 20-year-old Dane won 69 percent of his second-serve return points versus Safiullin.
Dimitrov, of Bulgaria, defeated home favorite Jordan Thompson 6-3, 7-5 in one hour, 50 minutes to advance to move to within one victory of winning this tournament for the second time (2017). Thompson advanced after rallying to defeat Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals on Friday night.
Hong Kong Tennis Open
Top-seeded Andrey Rublev of Russia ended the spirited run of Chinese wild-card Juncheng Shang following a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win in their semifinal match in Hong Kong.
Rublev, who recorded 12 aces, saved all five break points in the second set and three such chances in the third to advance to his 24th final. He moved onto the final to face off against Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori, who needed two hours to post a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 win over Sebastian Ofner of Austria.
Ruusuvuori overcame 11 aces by Ofner by winning 68 percent of his first serves to advance to the final.
–Field Level Media
