Top-seeded Novak Djokovic converted 83.7 percent of his first-serve points while posting a 6-1, 7-6 (3) victory over Roman Safiullin of Russia on Saturday to reach the championship match of the Tel Aviv Watergen Open in Israel.
The Serbian needed 95 minutes to complete the win. Djokovic committed just 10 unforced errors while Safiullin made 28.
Djokovic will face Marin Cilic in the final after the Croatian defeated France’s Constant Lestienne 7-5, 6-3. Cilic is 2-18 all-time against Djokovic.
Sofia Open
Fifth-seeded Holger Rune of Denmark knocked off top-seeded Jannik Sinner of Italy. Sinner retired late in third set of the semifinal match in Bulgaria.
Rune led 5-7, 6-4, 5-2 when Sinner was forced to stop due to an ankle injury he suffered during the sixth game of the final set. Rune had 27 winners and 18 unforced errors while Sinners posted 28 winners and 16 unforced errors.
Rune will next face Switzerland’s Marc-Andrea Huesler, who reached his first ATP final with a 7-6 (5), 7-5 victory over fourth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti of Italy. Huesler had a 10-7 edge in aces and won 83.3 percent of his first-serve points.
Korea Open
Fourth-seeded Denis Shapovalov notched six aces while scoring a 7-5, 6-4 victory over eighth-seeded Jenson Brooksby to reach the final in Seoul.
Shapovalov had a 22-7 edge in winners to reach his first final of the year. Brooksby saved just one of five break points.
Shapovalov will face Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka in the title match. Nishioka beat Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 and committed five unforced errors to Kovacevic’s 29.
–Field Level Media
