Unseeded Zverev and Lacko to meet in Eastbourne final

ajike June 29, 2018

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Either Mischa Zverev or Lukas Lacko will claim an elusive maiden ATP World Tour title on Saturday after the experienced duo advanced to the Nature Valley International final.

Zverev has won 124 tour-level matches without winning a tournament, but the world number 67’s persistence could finally be rewarded after he beat Mikhail Kukushkin 7-6 (11-9) 6-4 on Friday.

The 30-year-old German will play in a third career final after he was rewarded for a positive approach at Devonshire Park in Eastbourne, breaking three times to topple Kukushkin.

Zverev, a runner-up in Metz in 2010 and Geneva last year, saved four set points in the tie-break before breaking twice in the second set to oust the Kazakh.

Lacko, also aged 30, sent surprise French Open semi-finalist Marco Cecchinato packing, winning 6-3 6-4.

Sorry, not sorry…#NatureValleyInternational pic.twitter.com/4dZC4e3gQG

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 28, 2018

The world number 94 from Slovakia reached his first tournament decider in six-and-a-half years, taking just 58 minutes to dispatch the fourth seed.

At the Antalya Open, the top two seeds will meet in the final after Adrian Mannarino and Damir Dzumhur came through their last-four contests on Friday.

Mannarino stands on the brink of his maiden title following a 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 win over fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils while Dzumhur saw off Jiri Vesely 6-3 7-6 (7-1).