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INDIANAPOLIS, July 20: Defending champion Dmitry Tursunov fought back from a set down to upset top seed James Blake 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and reach the final of the Indianapolis Championships on Saturday.
The Russian will now face Gilles Simon after the Frenchman reached his first career ATP final in the United States with an exciting 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 win over local favourite Sam Querrey.
Blake came into the match riding the momentum from a dominant performance in the quarter-finals where he dispatched Lu Yen-hsun 6-2, 6-0. And he looked strong through the first set, where he held his serve comfortably.
However, Tursunov produced a strong service set of his own, recording four aces on the way to taking the second.
Tursunov broke Blake's service twice in the final set, and fended off a late charge by saving a break point in the final game.
The Russian has the chance to join Americans Pete Sampras and Andy Roddick as the only players in the last three decades to defend the tournament title.
In the other semi-final, Simon triumphed in sultry conditions against a tired Querrey in the first meeting between the pair.
The 23-year-old Frenchman cruised through the first set with his opponent visibly struggling in the humid heat.
Simon was 4-2 up in the second set and looked to have the match in the bag but, after receiving some treatment, Querrey found the energy and determination to fight back and take the set and go into a third.
The advantage ebbed and flowed in the decisive set but a superb backhand from Simon at 4-4 turned the contest his way and booked him a place in Sunday's final.
BARTOLI IN FINAL
STANFORD (California): Marion Bartoli overpowered Japan's Ai Sugiyama 6-3, 6-3 to move into the final of the Stanford Classic on Saturday.
The sixth-seeded Frenchwoman will meet Canada's Aleksandra Wozniak, who advanced when top seed Serena Williams was forced to retire with a knee injury down 6-2, 3-1.
In reaching her first final since Wimbledon 2007, Bartoli used a strong inside the baseline attack to repel the 33-year-old Sugiyama.
Bartoli served well in tight spots, tore at her opponents second serves and mixed it up just enough off the ground to confuse her foe.
She broke Sugiyama to 2-1 in the second set with a backhand down the line winner and never looked back, fighting off a break point at 5-3 and breaking Sugiyama to win on her third match point when the Japanese erred on a forehand.
Wimbledon finalist Williams took a medical timeout to receive treatment when she was down 5-2 in the first set, but it made no difference. She was unable to put her weight on her left leg and finally gave up.
—Reuters
