OPATIJA, March 25, 2016

Croatian wild card Nino Serdarusic and Romanian Dragos Dima will compete in the final of the $10,000 ITF Future Istarska Rivijera in Opatija.

The 19-year-old local held off Pula champion Pedro Martínez Portero, winning 6-2, 7-6. Serdarusic sent down four aces and converted four of his 14 break point chances to reach his first ever final on the Pro Circuit after two hours and three minutes.

The tournament’s number seven and last remaining seed in the singles draw, Dragos Dima was leading 4-6, 6-1, 4-0 when Croatian qualifier Kristijan Mesaros was forced to retire due to injury after exactly two hours of play. Dima lost all of his six previous finals and eventually eyes his maiden title. Both players will meet for the first time on the tour.

Later in the afternoon, Serdarusic captured the doubles title alongside his partner Tomislav Draganja, upsetting the tournament’s top-duo in Ivan and Matej Sabanov in an all-Croatian-final 6-4, 7-6 in one hour and 32 minutes. Serdarusic lifted his second doubles trophy of the season, for the Draganja it was the first in 2016.

Doubles finalists in Opatija