SANTIAGO, Chile (AP)—Santiago Giraldo of Colombia and Tommy Robredo of Spain each rallied from a set down to win their semifinals and advance to Sunday’s final of the Movistar Open, the first ATP event of the season on clay.
The eighth-seeded Giraldo reached his first ATP final by defeating No. 5 Potito Starace of Italy 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1. Giraldo, past the quarterfinals for the third time this season, earned his first win against Starace after losing their first meeting in 2008.
Sixth-seeded Robredo reached his 17th ATP final, defeating No. 7 Fabio Fognini of Italy 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. Fognini was trying to reach his first final.
All eyes will be on Giraldo, who is 10-3 in matches this season. He reached the semifinals in Auckland and the quarterfinals in Brisbane—and now he’s into a final.
Giraldo was broken once in losing the first set, but he held in the second by winning the tiebreak, and then overpowered the Italian in the final set.