World no. 103 Laslo Djere will compete in his sixth ATP final at the ATP 250 event in Santiago. Competing in his 300th ATP match, the Serb ousted Francisco Cerundolo 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours and one minute.
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Laslo will seek his first ATP title since Sardinia in 2020 against another Argentine, Sebastian Baez.Djere reached the semi-final at the ATP 500 event in Rio and went a step further in Chile. The Serb claimed 12 points more than the Argentine.
Djere made the difference behind the second serve and in the pivotal moments. The more experienced player denied five of six break points, losing the second set but mounting the pressure on the other side.
Francisco dropped 41% of the points in his games and offered his rival nine break points. He got broken four times and ended his campaign in the semi-final. Laslo landed 15 winners and 36 unforced errors. Cerundolo hit only nine direct points alongside 43 mistakes.
The Serb built a slight advantage in service winners and at the net, earning an early break in the decider and moving over the top with reliable serving. The Argentine wasted a break point in the second game of the duel and missed game points in the next one.
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Francisco faced two break points in that third game and hit a double fault on the second to drop serve and fall 2-1 behind. Djere held at 15 in the next one and landed a forehand return winner in game five for another break and a 4-1 advantage.
The Serb made another push on the return at 5-1 and drew the rival's mistake for the third straight break and 6-1 in 30 minutes. The Argentine raised his level in the second set, serving better and offering his rival only one break chance.
Laslo denied a break point in the first game with a backhand winner and generated a break chance at 2-1. Cerundolo saved it with a forced error and held for 2-2. The top seed stepped in on the return in the seventh game and converted the third break point for a 4-3 advantage.
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Francisco held after a deuce in game eight and served for the set at 5-4. He erased a 30-0 deficit and seized the second set point after Laslo's forehand error, clinching the set 6-4 and forcing a decider after an hour and 15 minutes.
Djere made a fresh start in the final set and converted the second break point after the rival's terrible forehand drive-volley. The Serb held after a deuce in the third game and increased the gap to 3-0. The lower-ranked player landed a service winner in game five for a 4-1 lead.
Francisco produced two fine holds after that break he suffered and earned a chance to pull it back at 2-4 after a forehand down the line winner. Laslo saved it with an ace and held after the rival's loose backhand to open a 5-2 lead.
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Cerundolo served to prolong the match in game eight and faced two match points. The top seed denied them with rare winners and held after Djere's backhand mistake to prolong the battle. The Serb for the win at 5-3 and landed an unreturned serve for a match point.
Francisco saved it after the rival's loose backhand. However, Laslo created another match point with a backhand down the line winner and seized it with a powerful serve for a place in his sixth ATP final.
