Tata Open Maharashtra: Sousa ends Ymer's dream run to set up final with Ruusuvuori

Portugal's Joao Sousa fought back from a set down to beat Sweden's Elias Ymer 5-7, 7-6 (4), 7-5 in the nail-biting semi-final on Saturday.

Joao Sousa in action during his 5-7, 7-6 (4), 7-5 win over Elias Ymer in the semifinal of the Tata Open Maharashtra in Pune on Saturday.

Portugal's Joao Sousa drew on his experience to end Elias Ymer’s sensational run at the 2022 Tata Open Maharashtra with a remarkable three-set win to enter the singles final at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune on Saturday.

Sousa fought back from a set down to win the nail-biting semi-final 5-7, 7-6 (4), 7-5. He will take on sixth-seeded Emil Ruusuvuori in the summit clash on Sunday.

Ymer, who stunned top-seed and the World No. 15 Aslan Karatsev in the earlier round to earn the biggest win of his career, made a confident start to race to a 4-1 lead but Sousa recovered well in time to draw level at 5-5. However, Ymer regrouped and pocketed the set to take 1-0 lead in the match.

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Regarded as the best Portuguese player of all time, the former World No. 28, capitalised on the momentum gained towards the end of the opening set and led 4-1 in the second set. Sousa took away the set 7-4 in the tie-breaker.

The 32-year-old experienced campaigner put pressure on Ymer, who was in search for his first ATP title, giving him a neck-and-neck fight in the decider and successfully tilted the momentum in his favour in a gruelling contest that lasted for more than three hours.