JOIN USBerdych sets up Cilic summit clash
Third-seeded Tomas Berdych and Marin Cilic will face each other for the Rotterdam World Tennis ATP title here on Sunday.
Czech Berdych defeated 24th-ranked Ernests Gulbis 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday while Cilic lost serve for the first time this week but recovered for a 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 win over Dutchman Igor Sijsling, reported Xinhua.
Berdych is bidding for his first ATP title since October 2012 and was the only member of the top 10 not to lift a trophy during 2013 despite reaching the quarterfinals or better in 15 of his 23 tournaments.
Berdych took the initiative by breaking for a 3-1 lead in the opening set before consolidating to take the first stanza 6-3. The one-way traffic prevailed in the second set as the Czech tightened his grip on the match.
Having already broken Gulbis once before, he broke him again for a 5-2 lead before holding serve to take the match in straight forward fashion.
Meanwhile, Ivo Karlovic and Kei Nishikori kept up their final date with wins in the semifinals of the Memphis Open on Saturday.
After the Croat Karlovic beat the fourth seeded Lu Yen-Hsun after the latter retired, the top seed Nishikori beat unseeded Michael Russel 6-3, 6-2 in the other semifinal. Karlovic had taken the first set 6-1 when the Taiwanse player quit.
At the Buenos Aires Open, Spaniard David Ferrer thumped compatriot Nicolas Almagro in straight sets to enter the final. His opponent will be Italy’s Fabio Fognini, who was made to work hard for his victory against veteran Tommy Robredo, another Spaniard. After Fognini edged past Robredo 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, Ferrer made lightwork of Almagro 6-4, 6-2 to proceed into Sunday’s final.
Halep downs Radwanska
Romania’s Simona Halep got the better off Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska to enter the final of the Qatar Open. Halep had no problems in sinking Radwanska 7-5, 6-2.Her opponent in the final will be Germany’s Angelique Kerber who prevailed over Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic 6-1, 7-6 (8-6).