PUNTA DEL ESTE, March 3, 2018

Simone Bolelli and Guido Andreozzi will compete in Saturday’s singles final of the inaugural Punta Open held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, at the Cantegril Country Club. The $50,000 ATP Challenger tournament marks the first clay-court event of the year.

Bolelli emerged victorious from the all-Italian-semi-final-encounter with fifth favourite Alessandro Giannessi 6-2, 7-6. The No. 6 seed from Bologna saved seven of the eight break points he faced, converting four of his own to advance in one hour and 34 minutes.

12-time ATP Challenger champion Bolelli will appear in his first title match since lifting the trophy in Oberstaufen in 2014. The 32-year-old will face Guido Andreozzi, who edged out young gun Dmitry Popku from Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-7, 6-4. The World No. 245 of Argentina sent down eigth aces, winning 73 per cent of his first service points to prevail after two hours and 43 minutes.

Bolelli and Andreozzi will meet for the first time. The Buenos Aires native could clinch his fifth ATP Challenger title.

“It is going to a tough match,” Andreozzi told.“Simone is a well established player on the ATP World Tour. It will be difficult but I am looking forward to the final.”

Later on Friday, Simone Bolelli and Aleassandro Giannessi teamed-up to claim the doubles title. The Italians rallies past Guido Andreozzi and Fabiano De Paula of Brazil 0-6, 7-5, 10-7. The final lasted one hour and 18 minutes.