Kevin Anderson has reached the final of the ATP-500 tournament in Vienna. The South African defeated Fernando Verdasco 6:3, 3:6 and 6:4 in the semifinals. In the final, the Wimbledon finalist will face Kei Nishikori, who easily prevailed against Mikhail Kukushkin.Nikolaus Fink reports live from the Vienna Stadthalle
Anderson got a real dream start and went after a few minutes with 3:0 in front. Verdasco was the better man from the baseline, but had little to offer the 32-year-old’s first serves.
The Spaniard worked out small possibilities again and again, but still found no break chance in the first set. Anderson finished the first section with an ace – his ninth in all.
Anderson also started better in the second set. However, Verdasco were able to hold his serve on the forehand side after three serious failures after defending a break ball and set to 2:1.
In the middle of the second set it was curious: serve monster Anderson had to give up his serve to 4:2, countered with an immediate rebreak, only to give up his serve game to Verdasco again afterwards. This served in the consequence sovereignly out and secured itself the second run with 6:3.
Verdasco was able to defuse two break points in the decisive third set by two South Africans. In the fifth game it was the Spaniard who found chances for a service breakthrough. However, the 34-year-old left two options unused.
Anderson didn’t let up and played three break possibilities at 4:3. But Verdasco was able to fend them off and compensate them again to the great cheers of the nearly 9,000 spectators. The eighth of the world rankings, however, did not let himself be put off by this and forced Verdasco to serve against the match loss.
This pressure was too much for the Spaniard. Anderson used his first match point after 2:27 hours. There he meets the Japanese Kei Nishikori.
The single tableau in Vienna