By Alberto Amalfi | Friday, August 4, 2017

 

Kitzbühel resident Philipp Kohlschreiber broke serve four times stopping second-seeded Fabio Fognini, 7-5, 6-3, in today’s Generali Open semifinals.

Photo credit: GEPA Pictures/Generali Kitzbühel Open Facebook

Hometown favorite Philipp Kohlschreiber charged into his second Kitzbühel final in the last three years.

Kitzbühel resident Kohlschreiber broke serve four times stopping second-seeded Fabio Fognini, 7-5, 6-3, in today’s Generali Open semifinals.

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It was Kohlschreiber’s sixth win in eight meetings with Fognini, who was fresh off winning his fifth career title in Gstaad on Sunday.

It is Kohlschreiber’s first final since April when he squandered five match points falling to Borna Coric in the Marrakech final.

Two years ago, Kohlschreiber defeated Fognini, top-seeded Dominic Thiem and Paul-Henri Mathieu in succession to claim the 2015 Kitzbühel crown.

Tomorrow, the 47th-ranked German will face Joao Sousa in the final. Sousa edged 157th-ranked Austrian wild card Sebastian Ofner, 7-6 (4) 7-6 (4) in today's second semifinal. 

Sousa withstood 10 aces from his opponent in a one hour, 58-minute victory that featured just two service breaks.

The 28-year-old from Portugal advanced to his first final since January where he fell to Jack Sock in the Auckland title match.

The 33-year-old Kohlschreiber is playing for his eighth career ATP title and first since he defeated Thiem to win the 2016 Munich crown.

Sousa has beaten Kohlschreiber in two of three meetings with both wins coming on hard court. The final will be their first clash on a clay court. Sousa is playing for his third championship and first since Valencia in 2015.