BASTAD, July 22, 2017

David Ferrer and Aleksandr Dolgopolov will compete in Sunday’s singles final at the SkiStar Swedish Open in Bastad.

Ferrer emerged victorious from the all-Spanish-affair on Saturday with last year’s runner-up Fernando Verdasco, winning 6-1, 6-7, 6-4 in two hours and nine minutes. The eighth seed from Jávea broke serve five times to advance to his first ATP final since Vienna in October 2015.

Ferrer saved two match points to hold off unseeded Henri Laaksonen in the stage of the final eight and will now vie for his 27th career title, his third at the Swedish beach resort following his triumphs in 2007 and 2012.

Earlier in the day, Dolgopolov eased past Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia 6-3, 6-2. The 28-year-old from the Ukraine sent down eight aces, saved all five break points he faced and capitalized on three of his own to secure victory in 64 minutes.

“We had a lot of tight games and he had a number of chances on my serve, but I kept it tight and ran away with it in the second set,” said Dolgopolov, who also had to save two match points in his quarterfinals encounter.

Dolgopolov and Ferrer will meet for the 14th time with the Ukraine leading 9-4 in their head-to-head series. Dolgopolov also won the last match between the two in Rio de Janeiro earlier this season in straight sets. The 28-year-old Kiev native could clinch his fourth ATP World Tour title.

In the doubles final, Julian Knowle from Austria and German Philipp Petzschner will face Dutch tandem Sander Arends and Matwe Middelkoop.

Photo Gallery (by Brigitte Urban)