Krajinovic Dominates On Serve To Reach Budapest Final

Filip Krajinovic will try to become the ninth first-time ATP Tour titlist this year after defeating Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-2, 6-2 in one hour on Saturday to reach the final of the Hungarian Open in Budapest.

The Serbian lost just six service points and did not face a break point to reach his second tour-level final, having also made the championship match at the 2017 Rolex Paris Masters, an ATP Masters 1000 tournament, as a qualifier. Krajinovic dropped just two service points in the second set, breaking Herbert four times in the match.

“I didn’t expect this coming from qualies. Playing in a final, it’s a big achievement for me,” Krajinovic said. “I think I played really well today. I served really well and I’m really happy. I will enjoy tomorrow.”

Perhaps fittingly, Krajinovic qualified in Budapest like he did two years ago in Paris, dropping only one set in six matches. He is the third qualifier to make an ATP Tour final this season, joining Brayden Schnur (l. in New York) and Daniel Evans (l. in Delray Beach). He now has 15 tour-level wins this season, setting a personal-best after earning 14 victories last year.

“It’s never easy. Herbert is a Top 50 guy. He’s very dangerous,” Krajinovic said. “This is not the surface for him. Today was a little bit slow, so it was good for me and I took every chance.”

Krajinovic will face 2018 Gstaad winner Matteo Berrettini for the trophy. The Italian needed one hour and 19 minutes to dismiss Rio de Janeiro champion Laslo Djere 6-4, 6-2.

“I have to realise what I did today. I have to recover for this match. It was a short match, but very intense,” Berrettini said. “I have to stay focused and prepare for tomorrow.”

Berrettini arrived in Hungary on a five-match tour-level losing streak dating back to his second-round loss in Marseille more than two months ago. But he has won three of his four matches in straight sets to reach his second ATP Tour final. This will be Berrettini and Krajinovic’s first FedEx ATP Head2Head battle.

“I’m serving really good,” Berrettini said. “I hope tomorrow my weapons — my forehand and my serve — will help me to beat him. He’s a great guy. He’s playing really good coming from the qualies, so he has a lot of confidence. He was Top 30, so he knows how to play tennis. I think it’s going to be a great final.”

Daniell/Koolhof Reach Doubles Final 
Marcus Daniell and Wesley Koolhof reached the doubles final with a come-from-behind 3-6, 6-2, 10-8 win against Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies. In the final, they will meed third seeds Ken Skupski and Neal Skupski. Koolhof has now made three consecutive finals with three different partners, partnering Stefanos Tsitsipas to the Miami championship match and Robin Haase to the Monte-Carlo final.