By Alberto Amalfi | Friday, August 3, 2018

 

Denis Istomin and Martin Klizan will meet for the third time in the Kitzbühel final that's a qualifier clash.

Photo credit: Generali Open Kitzbühel

The red clay of Kitzbühel is qualifier revival ground.

Qualifiers Denis Istomin and Martin Klizan will square off in tomorrow's Generali Open Kitzbühel final after rousing victories today.

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A stubborn Istomin saved five of six break points fending off Nicolas Jarry, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-4, in today's first semifinal.

The 31-year-old baseliner from Uzbekistan grinded through a two hour, 35-minute victory in his first meeting with the 22-year-old Jarry.

It was a rousing victory for Istomin, who fought into his first Tour-level clay-court final.

Along the way, Istomin upset successive seeds sending two-time champion Philipp Kohlschreiber packing and bouncing sixth seed Maximilian Marterer out.

Istomin is through to his first final since he he beat Marcos Baghdatis to win Chengdu in October, 2017.

The 95th-ranked Istomin is playing for his third career title.

Klizan carved out a 7-6 (3), 6-3 win over Spain's Jaume Munar to reach his sixth career final.

The 112th-ranked Klizan is 5-0 lifetime in ATP finals.

Three of Klizan's last four titles have come on red clay, including a straight-sets sweep of Pablo Cuevas in the 2016 Hamburg final.

Klizan, who toppled top-seeded Dominic Thiem in the round of 16, has split two Tour-level meetings with Istomin.