Umag, Croatia – Fabio Fognini and Tommy Robredo have outlasted the competition and will meet in Sunday's final at the ATP Vegeta Croatia Open.
In the late semifinal, fifth-seeded Robredo knocked off second seed Andreas Seppi, taking a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 decision in 2 hours, 22 minutes. The 31-year-old Spaniard upped his lifetime mark against the slick Italian to 4-3, and needs one more victory to take home his second title of 2013.
Robredo will be looking to become the first winner from Spain in this tournament since Juan Carlos Ferrero in 2010.
Seppi was declared the winner in his quarterfinal match after Argentinean counterpart Horacio Zeballos was forced to retire in the first set because of a strained intercostal muscle. Seppi was ahead, 6-5, at the time.
Earlier in the day, third-seeded Fognini stretched his winning streak to 13 matches thanks to a 6-0, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3) triumph against Gael Monfils -- one which wasn't as easy as it seemed from the outset.
After a strong showing in the second set, the Frenchman rallied in the third after being down 0-3 to take a 6-5 edge, but the 26-year-old Italian kept his hopes for a third title in 2013 alive by winning the final two games and the tiebreaker.
Should he emerge with a victory, Fognini will become the first native of Italy to claim a singles title here.
Sunday's winner will pocket $74,000.
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