By Tennis Now | Saturday, July 29, 2017
German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann fought off four match points edging Robin Haase, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) to reach the Gstaad final vs. Fabio Fognini.
Photo credit: Robert Hradil/RvS.Media
Yannick Hanfmann’s wild winning ride in the ski capital continued with a stirring ascent into his first ATP final.
The German qualifier denied four match points surging past Robin Haase, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) into the Gstaad final.
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Contesting his third career ATP main draw, Hanfmann's composure under pressuer has helped launch him into his first final.
Staring down two match points at 4-6 in the second-set tie break, he ran off four straight points to force a final set.
Serving at 5-6 in the decider, Hanfmann saved two more match points to force the tie break, eventually prevailing in two hours, 28 minutes.
It was Hanfmann’s sixth victory in seven days, including three-set wins over third-seeded Feliciano Lopez and eighth-seeded Joao Sousa.
The 170th-ranked Hanfmann will face Fabio Fognini in tomorrow’s final.
The fourth-seeded Fognini fought past second-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.
The 31st-ranked Italian denied 12 of 13 break points he faced. Fognini converted all four break points beating Bautista Agut for the fifth time in seven meetings.
It’s Fognini’s first final since Moscow last October when he lost to Bautista Agut in three sets.
The Miami Open semifinalist is seeking his fifth championship overall and first title since he won Umag last July.