Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann came back from one set down to beat Laslo Djere 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-5) after 2 hours and 25 minutes reaching his first ATP Tour level final in three years at the Generali Open in Kitzbuhel
Hanfmann held two match point at 5-4 in the third set before sealing his third chance in the tie-break with a backhand return winner.
Hanfmann reached his first ATP Tour final as a qualifier in Gstaad. He is aiming the first qualifier to win an ATP Tour title since Danil Medvedev’s win in Tokyo in 2018.
“I did not feel so good after the first match points. At that level, if you miss those chances you can lose the match right away. I was happy that I had chances to go back up 6-5 and break him. I did not make that, so it was a tough few minutes for me to really get settled again. In the tie-break I had a pretty clear mind. I was just trying to play point by point, really go for my game and that is what I did. It is fitting that I finished it with a backkhand return winner”, said Hanfmann.
Hanfmann set up a final against Miomir Kecmanovic, who battled past Swiss qualifier Marc Andrea Huesler 6-2 5-7 6-3 after 2 hours and 19 minutes.
Kecmanovic broke twice in the second and eighth games to win the first set 6-2. Both players traded breaks in the first and second games of the second set. Huesler saved three break points in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. The next games went on serve until the Swiss player earned the break in the 11th game to win the second set 7-5 forcing the match to the third set.
Huesler got a break in the third game at deuce to take a 2-1 lead in the decider. Kecmanovic converted his third break-back point to draw level to 2-2. Huesler broke serve in the sixth game at 30 in the sixth game and held his final two service games to win the decisive set 6-3.
“I know it is not going to be easy because Yannick is a big guy who serves well, but I can make him play. Like today, I need to stay in the point as long as I can and try to force him to go for too much. I did not have many good results last year on clay, so I did not high expectations when I came from the US Open one or two days before the tournament. I am happy to play the final here”, said Kecmanovic.
Kecmanovic left his home town at the age of 13 to practice at the IMG Academy in Florida.
