ST PETERSBURG: Russian home favourite Andrey Rublev edged closer to a maiden appearance in the ATP Finals on Saturday when he defeated fellow London season-finale hopeful Denis Shapovalov to reach the St Petersburg Open final.

Rublev, the third seed, came back to defeat the second-seeded Canadian 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to set up a title clash with Borna Coric.

Rublev saved five of six break points to advance and took advantage in the final set when Shapovalov needed treatment on his shoulder.

“The match was unreal, in my opinion,” said Rublev who moves ahead of French Open semi-finalist Diego Schwartzman into eighth position in the race to London. “The level was high from both sides. Both of us deserved to win.”

Just two qualification positions remain vacant for the ATP Finals, to be held from November 15-22.

World number one Novak Djokovic, French Open champion Rafael Nadal, US Open winner Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev have already qualified for the elite eight-man event.

In the other semi-final, Croatia’s Coric returned to the final for a second consecutive year after he, too, dropped the opening set against Milos Raonic before turning the tables on his opponent with a 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory.

Raonic fired 18 aces in the contest but Coric, who lost to Daniil Medvedev in last year’s final, converted three of five break points to seal his place in the final.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2020