Stefanos Tsitsipas advanced to the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships after rallying from a set down to beat Frenchman Gael Monfils 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4) in the United Arab Emirates on Friday.
The 20-year-old Greek led the first set 3-0 but Monfils, who was on an eight-game winning streak, fought back to win five games in a row before moving in front on serve.
Monfils could have won in straight sets if he had capitalised on a 3-1 lead in the second set, only for Tsitsipas to even the scores with a break and rallied to a tie-breaker, which he edged by two points.
The deciding set was much tighter with no breaks of serve and in the tie-break Tsitsipas managed to get a two-point cushion and forced Monfils into error with a blistering backhand to complete the three-hour victory.
Tsitispas will play either seven-time Dubai champion Roger Federer, who is bidding for his 100th career title, or Croatian Borna Coric in Saturday’s final.
Regardless of the result Tsitispas will earn a top-10 ranking for the first time in his career.