A tenacious Benjamin Bonzi knocked out second seed and world number 35 Botic Van de Zandschulp in a gripping three-setter to reach his maiden ATP World Tour final in Pune on Friday. (More Tennis News)
Keeping the intensity throughout, world number 60ಌ Bonzi prevailed over Zandschulp 7-6(5) 6-7 (5) 6-1 in an intense semifinal o🍸f the Tata Open Maharashtra at the Balewadi Stadium.
With his win, Frenchman Bonzi prevented a rare all-Dutch final as earlier in the day, ဣthe Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor ousted eighth seed Russian Aslan Karatsev 7-6(4) 6-1 in 💖the first semifinal.
It was the firs💫t win for Bonzi in three meetings with the Du♓tch.
"It's a great start to the season, I did not expect that. Hope it continues tomorrow (in final). This is a big win for me,🍸 I had not beaten him before (Zandschulp)," said Bonzi.
"I will play the saꦗme in the final, it's working well ༒for me.
In each of the three🔥 sets, Bonzi🉐 went a break up but the resolute Zandschulp, with his big game, stretched the match as well as his opponent.
Bonzi h♏it fluent serves even as Zandschulp hit some uncharacteristic ♔high unforced errors in the beginning.
Bonzi found a stunning forehand winner on Dutch player's drive volley to earn three♛ breakpoints in game two and went up when Zandschulp netted a backhand on the seconꦡd chance.
The Dutch was in danger of going down 0-4 as he faced another breakpo꧃int in game four when he hit a forehand long but managed to hold to get on board.
Zandschulp soon was in his element with his forehand inside-in shot troubling ꦇBonzi. The Frenchman hit an overhead volley on the net and Zandschulp hit a backhand cross court winner on the next point as Bonzi was n🐼ow down 0-40.
Bonzi hit a backhand on the net on tꦉhe first break chance and the match was now on an even keel at 3-3.
Bonzi was under pressure with the Dutchman hitting the ball very hard but the Frenchꦓman kept his nose ahead with a tough hold in gameꦺ nine, going up 5-4.
Serving to stay in the set, Zandschulp hit a double fau🦄lt at 30-all to hand Bonzi his first set p🐷oint but he saved that with a body serve that the Frenchman could not send across the net.
No break of serve followed and eventually a tie-breakerꦐ was require💃d to settle the opening set.
Two fore🥃hand errors by Zandschulp put Bonzi ahead 4-2 following some heavy hitting by the two players.
Twꦓo backhand errors by the Dutchman gave Bonzi four set points. Zandschulpܫ saved the first three with Bonzi perhaps feeling the nerves but he finally sealed it with a big serve that set up the unreturnable backhand down the line.
B🅰onzi drew the first blood in the second set as 💫well, getting the break in the very first game.
Zandschulp was up 40-15 but lost three points in a row to drop serve. He hit a backhand wide at 30-all🦂 and🔥 then could not pick a half-volley on Bonzi's return.
Leading 4-2, Bonzi executed a perfect lob on the first point of game seven 🐟to negate an approaching Zandschulp for a stunning winner.
Zandschulp hit an unforced error on the next point to be down 0-30 but ꧃ca꧃me back strong for a hold, keeping close with Bonzi.
It was now the turn of Bonzi to go down 15-40 on his serve as he dropped serve and the momentum suddenly shifted towards Zandschulp, who got a chair um🐭pire's correction call reversed on breakpoint to make it 4-4.
The Dutch forced a decider when at 5-5, Boꦑnzi found the net chord and the ball dr🌃opped outside the line across the net and hit a shot long on set point.
Bonzi raced to a 5-๊0 lead with a double break, closing the intense match in a j𝔉iffy.
