HEILBRONN, May 20, 2017
Filip Krajinovic and Norbert Gombos will compete in Sunday’s final of the €64,000 NECKARCUP held at the Tennis Club Trappensee in Heilbronn.
Guido Pella missed three match points
Krajinovic, who had to finish his quarterfinal match against Marton Fucsovics earlier the day, rallied past 2015 runner-up Guido Pella of Argentina, winning 4-6, 6-3, 7-6.
The 25-year-old qualifier from Serbia saved three match points and broke serve four times to prevail in two hours and 44 minutes.
“It was a great match. We both played at a high level, even though I was a set and a break down but I knew that I will have my chances. In the end I was a bit lucky, saving a couple of match points but in the breaker I went for my shots, which was the key to success,” Krajinovic told Tennis TourTalk after spending more than four hours on court today.
“Right now I am very exhausted but I will try to recover in the best possible way to be ready for tomorrow.”
Filip Krajinovic
Krajinovic had been sidelined from the courts for the second half of last year’s season due to a hand injury.
The World No. 294 is going to play his first ATP Challenger final since he finished runner-up to Leonardo Mayer in Manerbio in August last year, eyeing to win his fifth Challenger crown.
“When I was injured I spent a lot of time with friends and my family. It was good but I also missed tennis a lot. I missed the feeling being on court. I will step up tomorrow and try to win the tournament, that’s why I am here.”
Norbert Gombos defeated Lorenzo Giustino of Italy 6-3, 7-5. The fourth seed had beaten Casper Ruud from Norway in the morning 6-4, 7-5, and was dominating his semi-final match again. Gombos won 67 per cent of his first service points and capitalized on seven of his 11 break point chances to secure victory in one hour and 29 minutes.
Krajinovic won the only previous meeting between the two, clinching the title of the 2014 Vicenza Challenger. Back then, the Serbian won 6-4, 6-4.
In the doubles final, top seeds Roman Jebavy from the Czech Republic and Antonio Sancic of Croatia will take on second favourite tandem of Canadian Adil Shamasdin and Igor Zelenay from Slovakia.
