GSTAAD, Switzerland: Matteo Berrettini took another big step on his road back to the top echelons of the ATP circuit when he beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6 (8/6), 7-5 on Saturday to reach the final in Gstaad.
The 28-year-old Italian, who won the final in Gstaad in 2018, has struggled with injury since reaching a career-high world number six in May 2022.
He had lost his previous five meetings with the 12th-ranked Greek but edged the key moments in Switzerland to reach his third final of the year, following Marrakesh in April and Stuttgart in June.
Berrettini's serve was key: he did not face a break point and won 92 percent of points behind his first delivery.
"I kept serving well and believing that something could happen in a return game, and it happened in the end," said Berrettini, currently ranked at 82, in his on-court interview.
"Stefanos is a great player, he knows how to mix things up and the tie-break was really tight, but again like yesterday I think I played a little bit better in important moments."
He will face French qualifier Quentin Halys, ranked 192, who beat the German Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) to make his first ever ATP final.
The two players have met once before at an ITF World Tennis Tour event in Italy in 2015, when Halys came out on top.
"It was a long time ago. I remember it was in Piombino in Tuscany, definitely on a different surface, a hard court," said Berrettini.
"I remember I couldn't return his serve, so hopefully tomorrow I'm going to be able to do it. It's going to be a tough one, but I'm going to be ready."
Berrettini's return to form and fitness began with that win in Marrakech after which he progressed to the final in Stuttgart where he was beaten in three sets by Britain's Jack Draper.
He did not compete at the French Open but put up a good show in the second round at Wimbledon where he came second best to compatriot Jannik Sinner in a tight four-setter.