Sydney, Australia – Kevin Anderson of South Africa and Australia's Bernard Tomic were semifinal winners Friday at the Sydney International and will meet for the title Saturday.
Anderson earned a hard-fought 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8) win over Frenchman Julien Benneteau, while Tomic upset third-seeded Italian Andreas Seppi, 7-6 (12-10), 6-4.
Tomic, who saved all six break-point chances against his serve, will play in an ATP final for the first time. He can become the first Australian winner in Sydney since Lleyton Hewitt in 2005.
Anderson saved two match points in the 2-hour, 23-minute thriller and defeated Benneteau for the first time in three chances. Benneteau was last year's Sydney runner-up.
Saturday will mark the fourth ATP final for Anderson, who has two titles to his credit. He won in his native Johannesburg in 2011 and again last year in Delray Beach.
Tomic won the only previous meeting with Anderson, a 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (4-7), 6-3 decision in the 2011 Shanghai Masters.
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