Aleksandar Vukic posted another upset win in Atlanta, this time over Ugo Humbert to earn a spot in his first-ever ATP Tour final.
Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic is having the tournament of his career. The 27-year-old took out the hometown favorite Chris Eubanks in the quarterfinals and dispatched France’s Ugo Humbert in the semifinals in a comeback 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-5 win that delighted the Atlanta crowd.
Vukic was notably outplayed through the first set and part of the way into the second. Humbert, the world No. 38 who upset defending champion Alex de Minaur in the quarters, dominated the opener. The Frenchman smothered Vukic with monster first serves and penetrating groundstrokes.
Vukic held in through the second set. While Humbert still dominated on serve, Vukic picked up his own service game and held on to force a tiebreaker. Humbert drew first blood with an immediate mini-break, but Vukic rolled through the rest of the ‘breaker–conceding just one other point to level the match at a set apiece.
“That tiebreaker went quick,” Vukic said in his post-match presser. “I was down 1-nil, and I was thinking, ‘okay; jeez.’ I hit a really good return (on the second point)…. It gave me confidence and spooked him.”
The tiebreak changed the momentum of the match in the Aussie’s direction, as Vukic got an immediate break of serve in the third. He surrendered it back to his opponent with a loose game at 4-3, but Humbert’s success was short-lived. The left-hander donated a second service break at 5-5 and the world No. 82 served it out at love.
Vukic will take on top-seeded American Taylor Fritz in Sunday’s final.
nice one, Vuki