By Alberto Amalfi | Saturday, October 1, 2022
Marc-Andrea Huesler scored the lone break of the match in the final game edging Lorenzo Musetti 7-6(5), 7-5 to advance to his first ATP final at the Sofia Open.
Photo credit: Getty
Marc-Andrea Huesler had the last word with the first break.
Huesler scored the lone break of the match in the final game edging Lorenzo Musetti 7-6(5), 7-5 to advance to his first ATP final at the Sofia Open.
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Today's opening semifinal featured just two break points with Huesler saving a break point to hold for 5-4 in the second set before converting his lone break point of the day in the last game.
"I'm honestly a bit speechless," Huesler said afterward. "I can't quite believe I'm able to win today and make it to the finals.
"I played a really great match today. And I'm just really happy."
Huesler will face either top-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner or fifth-seeded Dane Holger Rune in Sunday's final.
The left-handed Swiss continues a career-breakthrough week that saw him stun second-seeded Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta in the round of 16 and take down Hamburg champion Musetti with a committed comeback in the tiebreaker today.
The 95th-ranked Huesler rode his damaging left-handed serve into his maiden final. Huesler served 64 percent, pumped 10 aces and won 40 of 48 first-serve points.
The fourth-seeded Musetti exploited a Huesler double fault to seize a 5-1 lead in the tiebreaker.
Two points from a one-set lead, Musetti sputtered and tightened. Musetti hit his second double fault to give back the mini break for 5-4. Huesler hammered a serve winner then drew an error for set point.
When Musetti missed a flying forehand, Huesler had the opening set that seemed to be gone moments earlier.
Deadlocked at 4-all in the second set, a gutsy Huesler saved the only break point he faced with a bold serve-and-volley bunting his volley behind Musetti. That key save helped the Swiss hold for 5-4.
Serving to force the tiebreaker, Musetti blinked. The Italian tripped his third double fault off the tape to face match point. A sharp angled backhand return helped Huesler close a history win in one hour, 35 minutes.