De Minaur faces Mannarino in Zhuhai final
ZHUHAI, China (AP) — Seventh-seeded Alex de Minaur beat Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 6-2 to reach the final of the Zhuhai Championships on Saturday.
The Australian missed very few shots, winning 95% of first serve points, breaking serve on four out of five chances and saving both break points he faced in the semifinals.
De Minaur will be looking to win his third career title, after victories at Atlanta and Sydney earlier this year.
His opponent in the final will be unseeded Adrian Mannarino, who beat eighth-seeded Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-0, 4-6, 6-1.
In the Chengdu Open, unseeded Pablo Carreno Busta upset eighth-seeded Denis Shapovalov of Canada 6-3, 6-4.
The Spaniard, who faced 12 aces from his 22-year-old opponent, converted both break point chances he created and saved both break points he faced.
“In the first game of the match, I saved two break points and maybe it was the key,” said Carreno Busta, who snapped a six-match semifinal losing streak.
He faces hard-hitting Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in the final.
Bublik smashed 21 aces in his 7-6 (6), 6-4 win over Lloyd Harris to reach his second final of the year and a chance at his first title.
