Jordan Thompson secured a spot in his fourth ATP final by beating Jerry Shang 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 at the Atlanta Open on Saturday afternoon.
A match decided by very small margins pretty much came down to break points in the third set. Thompson served and volleyed on Shang’s lone chance at 1-1, coming up with a drop-volley winner. The Aussie eventually converted his second opportunity at 4-3 before serving it out game later.
“I feel like with my game style I need to be versatile,” Thompson explained. “I need to be throwing guys off and showing them different looks every time. I felt like it was time for a serve-and-volley. I hit a good enough serve and had to play a tough volley but made it and never looked back, really.”
Shang was bidding to reach his first ATP final, but it was still an outstanding week for the 19-year-old from China. He won a total of five matches, having come through qualifying, and his run included an upset of top seed Ben Shelton.
“His ball-striking is incredible,” Thompson praised. “I feel like he can hit a winner from anywhere on the court. I need to be wary and really make sure my movement is on point. Luckily movement is probably a strength of mine. Sometimes I can diffuse the situation, but today was just a point here or there.”
The 30-year-old’s reward is a chance to play for his second-ever ATP title–and second of the year. He previously triumphed in February at the ATP 250 hard-court event in Los Cabos, where he toppled Alexander Zverev in the semis and Casper Ruud in the final. Now he is just one win away from a second winner’s trophy, with Yoshihito Nishioka standing in his way.
“An ATP title is nothing to sneeze at,” Thompson assured. “I only have one of them. I’ve said it before: guys go through their whole career without playing in a final. To be in another final…hopefully I can go all the way, but I won’t take it for granted.”
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