ATLANTA/STARNBERG, July 30, 2023

Aleksandar Vukic continued his fine run of form this week at the Atlanta Open Saturday with a 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-5 upset of No. 7 seed Ugo Humbert of France to reach his maiden final on the ATP Tour. The 82nd-ranked Australian withstood 17 aces, broke his rival’s serve two times and hit 34 winners to succeed in two hours and 12 minutes.

Valiant VUKIC 💪@Vuki_SMASH23 turns the tables on Humbert, rallying to defeat the Frenchman and by doing so will contest his FIRST-EVER @atptour final!#AtlantaOpen pic.twitter.com/gi2b1v2Rh7

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 30, 2023

“I was getting totally outplayed. He was destroying me and I kind of just relaxed and went for it,” Vukic said.

“I was down 0/1, a mini-break in that tie-break and just kind of went for the return and felt the momentum, felt the crowd and just kind of used it. I broke in the first game of the third and had a little hiccup but recovered, and I couldn’t be happier.”

The 27-year-old former college star at the University of Illinois and two-time ATP Challenger Tour champion will take on top seed Taylor Fritz in the title match. The World No. 9 beat fellow US-American JJ Wolf 6-3, 7-5 in one hour and 21 minutes.

“It was really solid. I served well the whole match,” said Fritz, who saved both break points against Wolf. “Whenever I was in trouble I played a lot of good points. I just did what I was supposed to do and didn’t really give him much.”

Sunday’s final will be the first-ever meeting between Fritz and Vukic.

SATURDAY RESULTS

Singles – Semifinals

[1] T. Fritz (USA) def. [8] J. Wolf (USA) 6-3, 7-5

A. Vukic (AUS) def. [7] U. Humbert (FRA) 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-5

Doubles – Semifinals

M. Purcell (AUS) / J. Thompson (AUS) def. [3] M. Melo (BRA) / J. Peers (AUS) 7-6(4), 6-3

[4] N. Lammons (USA) / J. Withrow (USA) def. J. Cash (GBR) / R. Galloway (USA) 7-6(8), 6-4