BRESCIA, November 18, 2017

Laurynas Grigelis has returned to his first title match in one year by reaching Sunday’s singles final of the €43,000 Internazionali Città di Brescia. The unseeded Lithuanian defeated Viktor Galovic of Croatia 7-6, 6-1.

On Saturday afternoon, Grigelis didn’t face a break point and converted two of his three own opportunities to secure victory in one hour and eight minutes. Exactly 12 months ago, the 26-year-old finished runner-up to Luca Vanni here in Brescia. In 2017, his best result at ATP Challenger level came in Liberec, where he advance to the quarterfinals. Grigelis clinched three titles on the ITF Pro Circuit this season and vies for his second Challenger trophy, his first since 2011.

The World No. 283, who lives in Italy, will take on Lukas Lacko in the final in Lombardy. The fourth seed from Slovakia battled past Mirza Basic from Bosnia and Herzegovina 6-7, 6-4, 7-6. Lacko fired 20 aces, winning 83 per cent of his first service points to prevail after two hours and two minutes.

After hoisting the trophy on home soil in Bratislava last week, Lacko is on a nine-match win streak. The Slovakian right-hander won both previous meetings with Grigelis. Their last match took place in the qualifying of the US Open.