The final match has been scheduled for the Delray Beach Open.
Miomir Kecmanovic has reached the ATP Tour final for the second time, marking his fifth appearance in a tour-level title match and his first since 2023. On Saturday at the Delray Beach Open, he achieved this milestone by defeating American player Alex Michelsen with a score of 7-6(3), 6-3.
“It was a tough match, especially with the wind. It wasn’t easy,” Kecmanovic said. “Obviously, him playing so big, I tried to make him play as much as possible and thankfully he was playing off today.”
The Serbian overcame the missed opportunity of two set points while serving at 6-5 in the first set, ultimately securing victory in the tie-break. He also successfully defended against both break points in the second set, according to Infosys ATP Stats, allowing him to advance after 90 minutes in their inaugural Lexus ATP Head2Head encounter.
Kecmanovic secured his only ATP Tour title in Kitzbühel in 2020 and has since reached finals in Estoril and Delray Beach in 2023. The 25-year-old competitor is set to face eighth-seeded Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the upcoming final.
Michelsen, aged 20, was aiming to achieve his fourth tour-level final. The American has moved up four positions to No. 33 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and is projected to attain a career-high ranking on Monday.
Davidovich Fokina secured a 6-4, 6-4 victory over fourth-seeded Italian Matteo Arnaldi in the evening semi-final, showcasing exceptional shot-making from both competitors. Each set demonstrated shifts in momentum, marked by three service breaks in each. However, Davidovich Fokina exhibited greater consistency during critical moments, as Arnaldi recorded 38 unforced errors, while the Spaniard committed 25.
“I cannot describe with words how I feel right now,” Fokina said. “All the work we’ve put in, my team and I every day, to be in one final again, it’s not easy. I’m very, very happy for this win and I’m ready for tomorrow.”
The 25-year-old athlete, who eliminated top seed Taylor Fritz from contention for a Delray Beach three-peat in the quarter-finals, will be competing for his first tour-level title. This Sunday marks Davidovich Fokina’s first final appearance since the 2022 ATP Masters 1000 event in Monte-Carlo.
Davidovich Fokina successfully avenged last week’s loss in Dallas to Arnaldi, who won decisively with a score of 6-1, 6-3 at the indoor ATP 500. Following his semi-final victory, the Malaga native now holds a 1-2 standing in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. It is noteworthy that Davidovich Fokina has not secured a victory in his two previous encounters with Kecmanovic.
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