By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday June 17, 2023
Frances Tiafoe reached his seventh career ATP final by edging Hungary's Marton Fucsovics in straight sets.
Photo Source: TTV
Frances Tiafoe is one victory from a long awaited Top 10 debut after battling past Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics to reach his first ATP grass-court final on Saturday in Stuttgart, 6-3, 7-6(11).
Tiafoe did it the hard way in the second set, saving six set points to prevail in a marathon breaker as he sealed his 26th victory of the season against just nine losses.
“Crazy match, crazy second set,” the 25-year-old told the crowd after setting a final with Jan-Lennard Struff. “I’m just happy to get through.”
Third-seeded Tiafoe is bidding for his third ATP title, and second of the season after he raised the trophy on the clay in Houston in April.
Struff, who toppled fourth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz in Saturday's second semifinal, improved to 15-8 on the season. The World No.24 will bid for his first title. He made history in May when he became the first Lucky Loser to reach a Masters 1000 final at Madrid, before losing to Carlos Alcaraz in a three-set final.
Tiafoe improved to 2-2 lifetime against Fucsovics, though out-aced 14-3. The American won 36 of 41 first-serve points and never faced a break point in the contest
Tiafoe and Struff have met twice, and split their meetings, with Tiafoe winning on indoor hard court in Antwerp in 2019 and Struff winning on the terre battue of Roland-Garros in 2020.