Dream final set in Umag – Sinner and Alcaraz will play for the title

Second seed Jannik Sinner defeated qualifier Franco Agamenone 6-1, 6-3 to advance to the final of the Croatia Open at the ITC Stella Maris in Umag on Saturday evening.

Sinner, ranked No 10, will play Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, the top seed, next.

The pair will meet for the second time this month and the third time overall, after Sinner dispatched the 136th-ranked qualifier in one hour and 26 minutes, behind a dominant return game.

The 20-year-old Italian won 17 of 24 second-serve return points and broke serve five times on nine opportunities to reach his first final of 2022, as he improved to 34-9 on the season.

“I wanted to play well especially in the important moments and beginning of the sets,” said Sinner, who reaches his seventh career final. “So I’m very happy to be in the final.”

The third meeting of a budding rivalry

Sinner and Alcaraz will meet for the third time in less than a year and their first time on clay on Sunday. It will be the third meeting of the top two seeds in Umag history, which dates to 1990.

In the Wimbledon round of 16 Sinner defeated Alcaraz in four sets in one of the most compelling matches of the tournament (6-1, 6-4 6-7⁽⁸⁾ 6-3).

“I’m going to try to be one of the best tennis player in the world for many years,” Alcaraz said after the loss to Sinner at SW19. “Obviously Jannik is one of the best tennis player in the world as well. For sure he’s going to be in the top for many years.

“I hope to have good rivalry with him. We hope to fight for the best tournaments in the world and the best moment in the world together.”

Alcaraz beat Sinner in their first meeting, at the Paris Masters last year (7-6(1), 7-5).

The Spaniard will bid for his fifth title of 2022, and his sixth overall, while Sinner will bid for his first of the season and sixth overall.

Jannik Sinner won against Spaniard Jaume Munar (6-4, 6-4) and Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena (6-4, 7-6 (5)) in the previous rounds of the Umag.

Earlier in the tournament, Agamenone, ranked No 136, won against Serb Laslo Djere (7-6 (8), 2-6, 7-5), Argentinian Sebastian Baez, the No 4 seed (3-6, 6-1, 7-5) and qualifier Marco Cecchinato (6-2, 6-1).

Umag ATP 250, other semi-final result (ITC Stella Maris, clay, EUR 597.900):

• Carlos Alcaraz beat Giulio Zeppieri (Q): 7-5, 4-6, 6-3