JOIN USQualifier Bedene too good for Bautista
Defending champion and top seed Stanislas Wawrinka cruised into the $450,000 ATP Chennai Open final with a straight-sets win over fourth seed David Goffin of Belgium on Saturday.
The Swiss world number four, who has not dropped a set in the tournament, gave the 22nd-ranked Goffin a 90-minute masterclass with a 7-5, 6-3 win at the Nungambakkam tennis stadium.
Wawrinka's opponent in Sunday's final will be Slovenian qualifier Aljaz Bedene, who continued his amazing seed-slaying run with an three-set victory over third seed Roberto Bautista-Agut.
The 156th-ranked Bedene survived four match points and himself wasted one before edging out the number 15 Spaniard 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10-8) in two hours and 42 minutes.
Bedene's semifinal win over Bautista-Agut was his third Spanish scalp this week, having beaten second seed Feliciano Lopez in the second round and fifth seed Guillermo Garcia Lopez in the quarterfinals.
Bedene banged in 15 aces even as both players were broken five times each in a semifinal marked by unforced errors that set up the longest match in this tournament.
Bedene broke Bautista-Agut in the opening game but then himself lost his first three service games to allow his rival to come back and take the first set.
The Spaniard wasted two match points on Bedene's serve at 4-5 in the decider and two more in the tie-breaker, which the Slovenian won on his second match point.
The London-based Bedene, who awaits his British citizenship this year, became the first qualifier to enter the Chennai Open final.
"I am excited to play my first ever Tour final," said the 25-year-old Bedene, who had made it to the last four here in 2013 by defeating Wawrinka in the quarterfinal.
"It feels good the way I have played in this tournament. It is not that I served badly, but Bautista-Agut returns very well. It was a real tough match.
"I am tired after a hectic week, but I will prepare well for the final," said Bedene, who played three qualifying matches and another four in the main draw.
In the Wawrinka-Goffin clash, the Swiss saved seven of the 10 break chances on his serve while he broke his rival thrice in the match.
Capitalising on the only break in the first set, Wawrinka nosed ahead in the match and was up 2-0 in the second with an early break, but Goffin struck back.
However, Wawrinka had enough experience and arsenal to douse the challenge of his opponent.
Wawrinka, though, will have to play at his best to stop a marauding Bedene. It will be interesting to see how Bedene copes with the fatigue, having played some gruelling matches and that too after coming off the qualifiers.