Even if he conceded his very first set of the week, Pablo Carreno Busta will play well his first grand final on the ATP circuit. The 31-year-old Spaniard (23rd in the world), who was playing the third Masters 1000 semi-final of his career (after Indian Wells 2017 and Miami 2018), had to fight 2h58 to overcome Daniel Evans (32, 39th world), whose old school game (one-handed backhand, backhand slice, incessant net climbing) delighted the Quebec spectators.
An ultra-spectacular semi-final
Surprisingly, the two thirty-somethings had never faced each other, and their first duel gave rise to an ultra-spectacular semi-final (43 winning moves for the winner, 40 for his opponent). For both of them, the opportunity was perhaps unique, which the Briton had summed up before the meeting with his usual outspokenness. “All guys lie when they tell you they’re not looking at the board. It’s always in the back of your mind. This type of match, that’s why we play tennis. »
Carreno Busta physically fresher
Despite a match point harvested at 6-5 in the tie-break of the second set, Carreno Busta was able to maintain the same determination at the start of the third set. Physically fresher, he managed a decisive break at 3-2, before winning on his opponent’s sixth double fault (7-5, 6-7 [7]6-2). “The moment was very difficult after that missed match point, but I tried to stay positive. The key to this victory was probably mental,” welcomed the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist.
Never as comfortable as on North American cement (he reached the semi-finals of the US Open twice, in 2017 and 2020), Carreno Busta will challenge Pole Hubert Hurkacz (25, 10th ATP), winner earlier in the day from Norwegian Casper Ruud (5-7, 6-3, 6-2). If he wins, he will become the first unseeded man to win in Canada since Guillermo Canas in 2002.
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