Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger: Pedro Martinez reaches singles final

Bengaluru: Top seed Pedro Martinez won a part-nervy, part-easy-going encounter against Matteo Martineau 7-6(4), 6-1 to enter the singles final of the Dafa News Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger 125 at the S.M. Krishna Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday.

In Saturday’s summit clash, the World No. 96 will meet the sixth seed from Kazakhstan, Timofey Skatov, who overcame France’s Harold Mayot 6-4, 6-3.

Martinez and Martineau were involved in a topsy-turvy first set. It was the latter who drew first blood, breaking to 4-2 with a fine cross-court pass. But Martinez returned the favour in the very next game, bringing it back on serve with a cross-court backhand pass of his own.

At 3-4, Martinez’s serve came under pressure again, and he had to save a break-point from being 40-15 up. In the 11th game, it was the turn of Martineau’s serve to wobble, and the Frenchman had to dig deep to save two break-points to stay ahead 6-5. He held easily to necessitate a tie-break, and once there, took it to four points. And within the blink of an eye, the Spaniard registered successive breaks in the second stanza – to 2-0 and 4-0. He was particularly impressive in the way he transitioned to the forecourt during rallies, enabling him to kill many a point at the net.

The shots he executed to hold to 3-0 (down-the-line forehand on the run) and break to 4-0 (looping backhand down the line) showcased his all-around prowess. The winning hold came to 15 as he sealed his spot in the final with a clinical drop volley. Agencies

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