Carreno Busta Reaches Final In Hamburg
Second seed Pablo Carreno Busta continued his quest for a second ATP Tour title of the season on Saturday as he overcame Federico Delbonis 7-6(2), 6-3 to reach the final at the Hamburg European Open.
Carreno Busta saved all four break points he faced in the match and won 75 per cent (15/20) of his second-service points to advance in one hour and 55 minutes. He has yet to drop a set in Hamburg this week.
“It was a tough match today, but I am very happy because Federico is a really tough player,” Carreno Busta said. “Always when I play against him, I am very uncomfortable. I am happy because my level today was very good.
“I probably played better in the second set, but I continued fighting all the time. I enjoy playing here, I feel comfortable here. It is my most important match this year [tomorrow]. I need to be really focused until the end again.”
The Spaniard won the Marbella Open title on home soil (d. Munar) in April. He will now have the opportunity to claim a sixth tour-level title and first ATP Tour 500 trophy on Sunday against Serbian Filip Krajinovic.
Both players were strong on serve in a tight opening set, with neither offering up a single break point as they moved to a tie-break. Carreno Busta hit with great depth and consistency at the end of the set to move ahead. After a mammoth service hold at the start of the second set, Carreno Busta then found the crucial break in the fifth game as he forced errors from the Argentine’s raquet. He broke again and sealed victory when Delbonis found the net with his backhand.
Through to his first ATP 500 singles final in four years, Carreno Busta will take on Filip Krajinovic in the Hamburg championship clash. The Serbian reached his first ATP Tour final since 2019 as he continued his strong week by overcoming countryman Lalso Djere 6-4, 6-2.
The sixth seed, who equalled his career-best victory in the quarter-finals against World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas, dictated throughout, breaking Djere three times to advance in one hour and 17 minutes.
Krajinovic will be seeking his first ATP Tour title on Sunday. The 29-year-old has previously reached finals at the Rolex Paris Masters (2017), the Hungarian Open and the Stockholm Open (both 2019).
[WATCH LIVE 1]The sixth seed made a fast start, breaking in the opening game as he moved 3-1 ahead. Krajinovic fired 26 backhand winners past Tsitsipas on Friday, and continued similarly against Djere as he struck an array of winners past the 26-year-old. He closed out the first set on serve and continued to play consistently in the second set, committing just seven unforced errors in the match.