Surging Almagro Takes Out Kyrgios

Nicolas Almagro will play for a 13^th ATP World Tour title on Sunday at the Millennium Estoril Open. Almagro overcame an in-form Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 7-5 in 73 minutes to reach his second final of the year. The 30-year-old Spaniard, who lost to Dominic Thiem in the Buenos Aires final, will attempt to win a first tour-level title since Nice in May 2012.

The big-hitting Almagro, who only dropped five points on his first serve in the match, fired seven aces on a breezy day against the Aussie to bring his tally to a tournament-leading 33. The Next Generation star broke Almagro twice, but surrendered his serve four times to succumb in straight sets. Kyrgios, currently a career-best No. 20 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, was bidding to win his second ATP World Tour title after scoring his maiden tournament win in Marseille in February (d. Cilic).

“I thought he played better in the conditions today,” Kyrgios said. “I didn’t serve great but he was too good. For a first week on the clay, it wasn’t too bad. I played two quality matches.”

Facing Almagro in the final will be countryman Pablo Carreno Busta, who saw off third seed Benoit Paire 6-3 6-3. Carreno Busta failed to serve out the match at 5-2 in the second set, but recovered in the following game to even the pair’s FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry at 2-2.

“[Pablo] was better. It was so windy today,” Paire, who landed just 35 per cent of first serves in the match, said. “The key is to be at my best at the [ATP World Tour] Masters 1000 events, and there are two coming up. I will try my best to have results at these events.”