MASPALOMAS/STARNBERG, December 3, 2022
Dusan Lajovic of Serbia and Canada’s Steven Diez will compete in Sunday’s singles final of the eó Hotels Maspalomas Challenger. Lajovic rallied from a set down to end the run of local wild card entry Pablo Llamas Ruiz, winning 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the stage of the last four on Saturday.
In front of packed stands at the Conde Jackson Tennis Club Maspalomas, the top seed of the €45,730 ATP Challenger Tour clay-court tournament in Gran Canaria capitalized on four of his seven break-point chances to secure victory in one hour and 27 minutes.
Into his first #ATPChallenger final since 2018!
🇷🇸 @Dutzee defeats Llamas Ruiz 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 to advance in Maspalomas 💪
📸: IG/canariastennis pic.twitter.com/0cy3XUbmUI
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) December 3, 2022
Later in the day, Diez defeated Oriol Roca Batalla from Spain 6-2, 6-4. The 31-year-old Toronto native saved both break points he faced and won 57 per cent of the total points played to advance in one hour and 43 minutes.
“Tomorrow I have to play against the favourite. He has been part of the Top 100 for a long time. I’ll go for everything, it won’t be an easy match, of course. Although no final is easy,” said Diez, who is bidding for his second Challenger crown following his maiden triumph in Burnie, Australia three years ago.
Lajovic could lift his seventh Challenger career trophy, his first title since 2019. The 32-year-old Belgrade native won the only previous meeting between, which took place nine years ago.
King/Stalder triumph in doubles
In other action, Evan King and Reese Stalder captured the doubles title. The fourth-seeded US-Americans fought past Marco Bortolotti from Italy and Spaniard Sergio Martos Gornes 6-3, 5-7, 11-9 in one hour and 31 minutes.
By winning their first team title, King and Stalder split €2,670 in prize money and earned 80 ATP Doubles Ranking points.
Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an
