BASTAD, July 14, 2017

Top seed Dusan Lajovic and Leonardo Mayer will compete in Saturday’s singles final of the €43,000 Bastad Challenger. The World No. 79 from Serbia defeated the tournament’s number four Facundo Bagnis of Argentina 7-6, 6-3 in Friday’s semi-finals.

Lajovic, who advanced to the stage of the last 16 at the ATP Masters 1000 in Indian Wells earlier this season, saved both break points he faced, capitalizing on one of his own to prevail after one hour and 35 minutes.

Mayer ended the dream week on home soil for Swedish teenager Mikael Ymer, winning 6-3, 6-0. The Argentine veteran won 64 per cent of his first service points and converted six of his 13 break point chances to advance in one hour and seven minutes.

Lajovic will play his first ATP Challenger final since lifting his fourth career trophy in Banja Luka in 2015. Mayer clinched his last of his nine Challenger titles in Manerbio last year. The 30-year-old from Buenos Aires won the only previous meeting between the two, when he beat Lajovic en route to his triumph at the ATP 500 event in Hamburg in 2014. Mayer won in the quarterfinals in straight sets.

Photo Gallery Day 5 (by Brigitte Urban):