Top seeds Alcaraz, Hurkacz into ATP deciders
Top seeds Carlos Alcaraz and Cameron Norrie have won their respective semi-finals to set up their second straight final at the Rio Open.
Alcaraz beat Nicolas Jarry 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 6-0 on Saturday night after Norrie had beaten Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-2 3-6 7-6 (7-3).
Alcaraz and Norri also clashed last weekend on clay in the final of the Argentina Open, which the Spaniard won in straight sets.
The 19-year-old, who dropped only his second set in Brazil against Jarry, was in trouble with the Chilean's effective service in the first two sets.
But Alcaraz showed he had more energy in the third, blanking Jarry in the final set with a dominant performance.
Earlier, Brit Norrie needed two-and-half hours to down Zapata Miralles, also from Spain.
"I tried to finish the points a little bit too early. I was a bit overconfident," Norrie said.
Asked what he needs to do differently from the finals in Buenos Aires and Auckland, which he lost to Alcaraz and Richard Gasquet, Norrie said: "I have to play better in the big moments."
Norrie currently leads the tour in wins in 2023, with 17 victories and three losses.
At the ATP event in Marseille, top seed Hubert Hurkacz has seen off a spirited Alexander Bublik in straight sets to seal his place in the final with a 6-4 7-6 (7-4) win.
The world No.11 wrapped up his semi-final victory in 94 minutes, without being taken to a deciding third set for the first time during his tournament run.
Hurkacz only broke serve once during the first set and had to hold his nerve in a second-set tiebreak to finish the job.
"At the end of the week it's a dream to have a chance to lift the trophy," Hurkacz said.
"It's a goal, so I'm really happy that I've played some good tennis here."
Hurkacz will face a homegrown opponent in Benjamin Bonzi in the final, after the latter won an all-French last-four encounter with wildcard Arthur Fils.
The former, who beat Australian Alex de Minaur in the quarters, saw off his fellow countryman 6-4 6-4 in a straight-sets triumph of his own.
With AP.