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Vukic into first ATP final in Atlanta, faces Fritz

3 minute read

Australia's Aleksandar Vukic will play for his first ATP Tour title when he meets Taylor Fritz in the final of the Atlanta Open, having ousted Ugo Humbert.

Rising Australian Aleksandar Vukic has surged into a career-first ATP Tour final, downing Frenchman Ugo Humbert to set up an Atlanta Open decider against formidable American Taylor Fritz.

Ranked a career-high No.82, Vukic continued his strong season as he rallied to down world No.38 Humbert 3-6 7-6 (7-2) 7-5 in his semi-final on Saturday, finishing with 34 winners, including 17 aces.

Top seed Fritz earlier accounted for fellow American J.J. Wolf 6-3 7-5.

The 27-year-old Vukic's latest win followed defeats of top-40 players Yoshihito Nishioka and Christopher Eubanks earlier this week.

World No.9 Fritz looms a formidable hurdle standing in the way of a maiden ATP Tour level title for the Sydneysider.

The American has already won the Delray Beach tournament as the US hardcourt season cranks up and he is chasing a sixth ATP Tour title.

However Vukic has recent experience in title deciders to draw on, having reached three Challenger Tour finals in recent months, including a title triumph in Busan, South Korea in May.

He is already set to climb to No.61 in the world and could crack the top 50 with a victory in the final.

Vukic said a ripped return winner at 0-1 down in the second set tie-break changed the momentum for him against Humbert.

"I was down 0-1, a mini-break in that tie-break and just kind of went for the return and felt the momentum, felt the crowd and just kind of used it," he told atptour.com.

"I broke in the first game of the third and had a little hiccup but recovered, and I couldn't be happier."

He was looking forward to the challenge posed by Fritz.

"It's going to be a tough match for sure. He's a hell of a player, Top 10 in the world and the US No.1 player," Vukic said.

"I just need to serve well and return well and play like I did in the second and third set. I think anything's possible in this environment."

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