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Carlos Alcaraz will face Alex de Minaur in the Rotterdam Open final on Sunday after defeating Hubert Hurkacz in the semi-finals.<\/b><\/p>\n
The 21-year-old top seed won 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 against Poland’s Hurkacz at the ATP 500 indoor hard-court event. <\/p>\n
World number eight De Minaur, 25, booked his place in the final with a straight-set semi-final victory over Mattia Bellucci. <\/p>\n
The Australian third seed cruised past his Italian opponent 6-1 6-2. <\/p>\n
Four-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz made a slow start to his debut at the event and quickly found himself 3-0 down, before fighting back to take the first set. <\/p>\n
“I think he had chances to make it 6-0 so I just tried to fight for every ball, every point,” said the world number three. <\/p>\n
With the second set going to a tie-break, both players squandered chances to seize the advantage. It was a double fault from Alcaraz at 5-4 up that handed Hurkacz the opportunity to draw level and the 27-year-old took the set after the Spaniard netted a simple backhand. <\/p>\n
Alcaraz found his stride in the third set, however, and he reached the final with a forehand winner after a thrilling contest. <\/p>\n
“I just tried to stay in there, keep fighting all the time and it paid off,” added Alcaraz.<\/p>\n
De Minaur’s last-four tie was a stroll in contrast.<\/p>\n
Bellucci had knocked out Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas on his way to the semi-finals but De Minaur was too strong for the 23-year-old qualifier. <\/p>\n
De Minaur, who won all of his matches in Rotterdam in straight sets, was runner-up to world number one Jannik Sinner in the final last year. <\/p>\n
“The Dutch crowd always treats me very well, and I love coming back here, so hopefully I can get a title this time,” he said.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Norway’s second seed Casper Ruud will face Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in the Dallas Open final on Sunday.<\/p>\n
World number five Ruud beat Spain’s Jaume Munar 6-2 2-6 7-6 (7-4) in the semi-finals, while Shapovalov defeated American third seed Tommy Paul 7-5 6-3.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n