mDefending champion Paul Haarhuis is one match-win away from a hat-trick of titles at the BlackRock Masters Tennis in London after a stunning 6-4, 6-2 victory over Sergi Bruguera in the semifinals at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday.
Haarhuis, who won the event in 2005 and 2006, will meet Guy Forget in the final, after the Frenchman dismissed Cedric Pioline 6-7, 6-4, 10-4 (Championsâ Tie-Break).
In a match of high intensity, Bruguera started the better of the two players, earning three break points at 0-40 midway through the opening set. Haarhuis saved them all with some impressive serving and brilliant passing shots, and after holding on, he raced away to take the set.
In the second set, Bruguera seemed dispirited. After winning seven of the eight tournaments he had contested this year, and having beaten Haarhuis in their most recent encounter in the final of the Alex Tennis Classics in Eindhoven, Bruguera had reason to feel confident. But, Haarhuis had knocked him out of the season-ending event at the Royal Albert Hall for the past two years, and those memories appeared to come flooding back to the two players.
He twice broke Bruguera in a mesmerising second set, and it will take a monumental effort from Forget to prevent the Dutchman winning a third successive title.
âItâs going to be a good match up,â said Haarhuis.
âI think Guy is playing well and heâs serving well. He must be playing well to be in the finals. I played him 3 or 4 weeks ago in Liege and it was a very close match. I think heâs got good momentum, heâs won all 4 of his group matches so he must be confidence. Iâll have to play well and if I play like I did today then I have a chance.â
Earlier, Forget reached the final for the second time after a thrilling three-set win over Cedric Pioline in London on Saturday.
In an all-French battle, Pioline looked to be on course for victory when he led the third set Championsâ Tie-Break 4-2, but Forget reeled off eight points in a row to seal victory.
âItâs always very special just being on the court here in London, but to be in the final is really, really nice,â said Forget.
âNow thereâs only one more match and I am going to try to win it.â
Pioline started the better of the two players, winning the first set on a tie-break, but Forget stormed back to take the second 6-4. In the deciding set Championsâ Tie-Break, Pioline seemed to tighten with the finishing-line in sight, and Forget took advantage.
It will be his second appearance in the final, after winning the tournament in 2001, just days after captaining France to victory in the Davis Cup final. He defeated Petr Korda 7-5, 6-7(5) 11-9 (Championsâ Tie-break) in the final.
