Frances Tiafoe advances to first grass final in Stuttgart Open

Frances Tiafoe scheduled to play in final on Sunday

Jun 17, 2023

STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Frances Tiafoe will contest his first grass-court final after the American player outlasted Marton Fucsovics in a marathon Stuttgart Open tiebreak on Saturday.

Tiafoe won their semi-final 6-3, 7-6 (11) after saving six set points in the tiebreak. He seized his chance at 11-10 down to win the next three points, sealing victory with a stinging return shot.

United States’ Frances Tiafoe returns the ball to Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics during a semi-final match of the Stuttgart Open, in Stuttgart, Germany, Saturday, June 17, 2023. Tiafoe won 6-3, 7-6 (11). (Marijan Murat/dpa via AP)

“Crazy match, crazy second set, I’m just happy to get through,” he said. “I wasn’t relaxed in that tiebreak at all.”

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Tiafoe is 2-4 in finals. The last time he played for a title was his win over Tomás Martín Etcheverry on clay in Houston in April.

Hungarian player Fucsovics came through qualifying in Stuttgart and upset Tiafoe’s friend and fellow American player Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals on Friday. He was bidding to reach his first final since 2021.

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Tiafoe faces fourth-seeded Polish player Hubert Hurkacz or Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff in the final on Sunday.

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