Stefanos Tsitsipas scripts fine comeback against Dusan Lajovic, reaches Barcelona final

BARCELONA: Stefanos Tsitsipas continued his winning streak to 10 matches at the Barcelona Open as he scripted a comeback 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 victory against Dusan Lajovic to reach the final at the ATP 500.

After losing the first set, Tsitsipas surged into the match, raising his intensity and shot weight in the second and third sets to change the tide.

He had terrific footwork to command on his forehand and won all 12 of his first-serve games in the decisive, advancing after two hours and 10 minutes.

"I would say the first game of the second set showed a direction where it felt if I keep up returns and applying constant pressure from the first shot I get to dictate, it might turn around. It was a close game and I lost it but deep in my mind it was ingrained that if I continue on the same path, something good is waiting. It turned out I was right. I continued to play that kind of tennis," Tsitsipas said as quoted by ATP.

When he faces Casper Ruud in the final on Sunday, the World No. 7 will be attempting to win his 12th tour-level title and first at the ATP 500 level. Tsitsipas, who has won five of his eleven ATP Tour titles on clay, beat the Norwegian in the title match at Monte-Carlo last week.

"I am sure having played someone a few days apart, they will come up with some new plans. These kinds of matches are tricky, playing back to back. I am going to try and work and start that by having a good recovery and work tomorrow towards the final," Tsitsipas said ahead of his rematch with Ruud.

This week, Lajovic was chasing his second tour-level trophy. The 33-year-old Serbian, who won the title in Banja Luka last year, defeated Diego Schwartzman, Ugo Humbert, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, and Arthur Fils in Barcelona.