(May 24, 2013) -- After a slow start to his season,
Juan Monaco is finally finding some good form on the clay just in time for next week's French Open.
The former top ten player entered his first final of the year at the Power Horse Cup in Dusseldorf. To get there, he had to move past fellow Argentine
Guido Pella who upset top seed
Janko Tipsarevic earlier in the week.
Despite facing a fellow friend, Monaco showed no mercy as took care of Pella 6-4, 7-6(8) to enter tomorrow's finals.
"It's my first final this year, so I'm very happy," Monaco told ATP.com. "I played a couple of good matches, so I've got good rhythm. We played a great match. We've known each other for a long time and have had many practices together. In the second set especially, we fought until the last point."
Nieminen Into Second ATP Final of Year
Waiting for Monaco in the finals will be No. 6 seed
Jarkko Nieminen of Finland. Though he came into the event after three straight losses, Nieminen turned the corner this week in Dusseldorf.
Nieminen met Dutchman
Igor Sjisling in the second semis and it was a tough battle for both. After each man split the first two sets, Nieminen found himself down 0-2 in the final set. But Nieminen rallied to pull off the 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 win.
Nieminen is now into his second ATP final of the year after losing to
Bernard Tomic in the Sydney finals back in January.