Rublev beats Dodig and awaits Lorenzi in final

Ivan Dodig’s swan song unfortunately ended in the semifinal of the tournament in Umag. The Croatian tennis player had to congratulate 13 years his junior, Russian Andrey Rublev, on winning the match 7:6 (4), 6:1.

The clash between two players, both rather unusual heroes of Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag, was won by the blond Russian teenager. He has thus reached his first ATP final of his career, leaving Dodig with his two finals in Zagreb and Hertogenbosch in 2011.  At the start of the second set the Međugorje native had some new chances to break the Russian but he failed, signaling the start of the end.

Dodig arrived in Umag on an invitation and won three matches, something that he hadn’t done in the ATP singles competition for four years. He therefore had no reason to be unhappy, despite the loss.