Tsitsipas defeats Lajovic to set-up Ruud tie in Barcelona final

Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Serbia's Dusan Lajovic in the Barcelona Open on Saturday, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, and will face Norwegian third seed Casper Ruud in the final.

Tsitsipas, the fifth seed, is chasing his second title of the season after defeating Ruud 6-1 6-4 in the Monte Carlo Masters last week for the third time in four years.

The two will face off again in the final on Sunday, after Ruud defeated Argentina's Tomas Etcheverry 7-6(6) 6-4 in the other semi-final earlier Saturday.

Lajovic broke to win the first set against the Greek, with neither player dropping serve in the first 11 games.

Tsitsipas made 22 unforced errors in that set, but his performance improved, and he broke Lajovic's serve in the second to take a 4-3 lead and eventually tie the match.

Another two breaks in the decider put Tsitsipas up 4-1, and he went on to reach his fourth Barcelona final.

"I'm sure having played someone a few days apart, for sure they're going to come up with new plans and new adjustments," Tsitsipas said when asked about his rematch with Ruud.

"I'm expecting a much better version of what I had in Monte Carlo... Of course these kind of matches are tricky, playing back to back. You try to see what works best for you. The opponent is trying to get as good as he can for the next one."

Ruud, the world number six, has yet to drop a set as he cruised past Etcheverry to reach his fourth final of the year, though he is still looking for his first tour-level title since lifting the trophy in Estoril last April.

The pair were evenly matched in the first set until Ruud broke for a 4-2 lead, before Etcheverry, seeded 13th, broke back in the next game.

The Argentine saved two set points to force a tiebreak, but Ruud won after saving a set point himself in a 76-minute battle.

It was just as close in the second set, but Ruud proved too strong for Etcheverry, who was playing in his first ATP 500 semifinal.

"Those three finals losses this year have been making me hungrier," Ruud said. "I'm going to dream about (clinching the title) tonight.

"Last week I put a bit too much pressure on myself. I play my best when I'm cool and don't think too much about it out there. That's what I did today."

Ruud had already lost finals in Los Cabos and Acapulco this year before losing to Tsitsipas in Monte Carlo last week.

SportsLigue