Roger Federer could win the 100th title of his career at the Dubai Championships. The 20-time Grand Slam champion will have to beat the rising star of tennis to do so.
Federer on Friday set up a title match against 20-year-old Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas by defeating Borna Coric 6-2, 6-2 in just 67 minutes in the semi-finals of the ATP event.
“I think it was important to mix it up, be solid, not give him too many chances and keep showing him it’s going to be really difficult for him to win, “ Federer said.
Photo: AP
Federer, 37, is looking to become the second man in the professional era to reach 100 tour-level tournament titles, joining Jimmy Connors, who won 109. Seven of Federer’s previous 99 wins have come in Dubai.
Tsitsipas had a tougher time getting to the final, rallying for a 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4) win over Gael Monfils.
Yesterday’s match was to be a battle of the generations — and a repeat of their meeting in the last 16 of the Australian Open in January, which was surprisingly won by Tsitsipas in four sets on his way to the semi-finals.
Stefanos “showed me at the Australian Open how hard he is” to play, Federer said. “We’re still far from [reaching 100 titles], it seems. I’m just going to try to focus and play good tennis.”
Tsitsipas last week won the Open 13 in Marseille, France, without dropping a set for the second title of his career, and has continued his strong form in the United Arab Emirates. He is now assured of a place in the top 10 of the world rankings for first time, replacing Marin Cilic.
“I have improved since last year,” Tsitsipas said. “Beating the big guys, big players, players that have been in the top 10, means a lot to me. I wanted to get there [top 10] at some point myself, and I made it today.”
MEXICAN OPEN
AFP, ACAPULCO, Mexico
Nick Kyrgios on Friday continued his scintillating run at the Mexican Open, downing third seed John Isner in three sets to book a title showdown with world No. 3 Alexander Zverev.
Australia’s Kyrgios, the former world No. 13 who has slipped to 72nd in the rankings, defeated Isner 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (9/7), following victories over Rafael Nadal and Stan Wawrinka.
Kyrgios, 23, reached his first ATP final since capturing his fourth trophy in Brisbane in January last year.
Second seed German Zverev powered into his first final of the year with a 7-6 (7/0), 6-3 victory over Britain’s Cameron Norrie.
Two nights after he saved three match points in a final-set tiebreaker against Nadal, Kyrgios converted his third match point with a drop shot from the baseline, sealing the win in 2 hours, 21 minutes.
“I was just trying to take care of my serve, that’s really all you can do against John,” Kyrgios said.
The unpredictable Australian, who seemed rattled at times by hostile fans in his victories over Nadal and Wawrinka, played happily to the crowd.
“It’s insane,” he said. “One point they were cheering my name, another point they were booing me. It’s just entertainment.”
Zverev, 21, has not dropped a set all week, and was convincing against the 64th-ranked Norrie.
“It was very tough. It was pretty windy out here, not easy conditions, and his game actually I think fits the wind quite well, so it was not easy,” Zverev said.
In women’s semi-final action, China’s Wang Yafan ousted third seed Donna Vekic of Croatia 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 to reach her first WTA Tour final.
She was to face fifth seed American Sofia Kenin, who defeated Canadian Bianca Andreescu 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.
Kenin was to be looking for her second title of the year, having broken through for her first WTA crown at Hobart, Australia, in January.
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