Muller, Evans set for Sydney tennis final

The Australian Open is currently the sole focus of most professional tennis players, but Luxembourg lefty Gilles Muller only has eyes on a maiden ATP title in Sydney.

Muller on Friday ended two-time defending champion Viktor Troicki’s hopes of making open-era history at the Sydney International, winning their semi-final 6-3 7-6 (8-6) in one hour and 29 minutes.

Troicki was bidding to become the first man to win three consecutive Sydney titles since Australian John Bromwich from 1937-40.

Muller, who has lost all five of his finals on tour, will meet Britain’s Daniel Evans in Saturday’s final.

Evans bettered Russian Andrey Kuznetsov 6-3 3-6 6-2 in Friday’s night’s battle between the unseeded semi-finalists, which lasted one hour and 50 minutes.

Muller is gunning for Evans. The 33-year-old says American Taylor Fritz, his first-round opponent at Melbourne Park, and a potential second-round clash with third seed Milos Raonic can wait.

“The Australian Open is the biggest tournament. You want to be ready for that one,” Muller said.

“But all the focus is on my final tomorrow.

“I’m really happy to start the season like this. I never had a final this early in the season in my career.”

Luxembourg’s flag bearer at the 2016 Rio Olympics is confident he will be physically ready to face Fritz in Melbourne despite the short turnaround.

“I played semi-finals the last two years (in Sydney), it’s only one more day to be here,” Muller said.

“I was able to play well the other years, so I don’t think one more match is going to be a big issue.”

The world No.34 admitted he was lucky to be in a position to exact sweet revenge over Troicki, who crushed him in a semi at the 2015 Sydney International.

Muller was so sick last week in Brisbane he struggled to leave his hotel room, while he remained unwell at the start of the ensuing tournament in Sydney.

It showed earlier this week during three-set struggles against Alexandr Dolgopolov and Matt Barton.

“I could have been out in the first round (against Dolgopolov). I saved match points in the first round,” Muller said.

“When I came here, I wasn’t expecting anything because I didn’t play really well in Brisbane and I wasn’t feeling great. I was looking to have one or two more matches before the Australian Open.”

The tiebreaker was level at 6-6 when Muller stepped up, winning an absorbing rally then closing out the match with his 16th ace.

Troicki dropped his opening service game, including a double fault, but lifted in the second set when the temperature hit 37C at Sydney Olympic Park.

It tested Muller physically and mentally, with the frustrated veteran sticking a ball in his mouth at one point.

“I was more worried mentally because I was struggling physically. Let’s put it that way,” he said.

“At some points it was really tough to keep myself together … I was almost losing the plot.”

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