Sousa Thrills Home Crowd, Advances To Estoril Final

Portugal’s Joao Sousa entered the 2018 Millennium Estoril Open with a 0-3 record at his home tournament. 

On Saturday, he became the first Portuguese finalist at the event, beating #NextGenATP Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4).

The home favourite booked a place in his 10th ATP World Tour final after two hours and seven minutes, converting his third match point in a final-set tie-break. Sousa has now won 14 of his past 18 tour-level matches, dating back to the beginning of March. He began the season with a 3-6 tour-level record.

Sousa will meet defending champion Pablo Carreno Busta or Delray Beach winner Frances Tiafoe in Sunday’s championship match.

Sousa secured the only break of the first set to take a one-set advantage, before the in-form 19-year-old levelled the match with two breaks of serve in the second set. The third set was dominated by serve, with just two of the 12 games reaching deuce and no break points on offer. Sousa raced out to a 4/0 lead in the decisive tie-break and, despite losing his first two match points, clinched his place in the final on his third opportunity.

Tsitsipas was bidding to become the first teenager since Juan Martin del Potro in 2008 (Los Angeles, Washington) to reach consecutive ATP World Tour finals.

Did You Know?
Joao Sousa has reached an ATP World Tour final in five of the past six ATP World Tour seasons dating back to his maiden title in Kuala Lumpur (2013).