ATP wrap: Gasquet beats Goffin, Wawrinka stunned

MONTPELLIER, Reuters – Local favourite Richard Gasquet has upset Belgian top seed David Goffin 6-4 0-6 6-3 to reach the Open Sud de France final in Montpellier for the sixth time in a row.

Gasquet, born in neighbouring Beziers, was solid in the first set but suffered a dip in concentration in the second as world No.7 Goffin raised his level.

The Frenchman, however, broke decisively in the seventh game of the third set and again in the ninth to seal the win.

Gasquet, who won the title here in 2013, 2015 and 2016, will face Lucas Pouille in an all-French final on Sunday as he benefited from Jo-Wilfried Tsonga pulling out in the other semifinal.

Tsonga was 6-1 5-5 up when he sustained a thigh injury after having had two match points.

Basic stuns Wawrinka in Sofia

SOFIA, Reuters – Bosnian qualifier Mirza Basic bludgeoned his way to a shock 7-6(6) 6-4 victory over top seed Stan Wawrinka in the semifinals of the Sofia Open to set up an intriguing title clash against big-serving Romanian Marius Copil.

Wawrinka, looking to play himself back into form after a long layoff due to a knee surgery, saved two set points in the opening tiebreak but Basic won it with a thundering serve that gave the 32-year-old Swiss no chance.

The aggressive Bosnian, playing his sixth match this week, showed no nerves in the second set, sending fizzing forehands across court and down the lines beyond Wawrinka.

“It’s a big win for me but there’s one more game and now I have to focus on the final,” 26-year-old Basic said after his first victory over a player ranked among the top 20 in the world.

Basic will face world No.93 Copil in the final in Armeets Arena on Sunday.

The Romanian put on a clinical display to power past Slovakian qualifier Jozef Kovalik 6-4 6-2 in one hour and 34 minutes and also reached his maiden ATP final.