Ugo Humbert saved four match points to beat Daniel Evans 4-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 after 3 hours and 14 minutes to reach the final at the European Open in Antwerp. Humbert scored his 20th match win of the 2020 season.
In the opening set Evans came back from 40-15 to break serve in the third game for 2-1. Humbert broke straight back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Evans got the second break in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead and held his next service games to win the first set 6-4 after 63 minutes.
Humbert earned an early break in the second game of the second set to open up a 3-0 lead. Evans broke back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Humbert saved four match points and hit a forehand winner down the line at 7-7 to win the tie-break of the second set 9-7.
Humbert earned an early break in the first game of the third set and held on his next service games to seal the win on his third match point with a forehand.
Humbert has become the fourth French player to reach the Antwerp final following in the footsteps of Richard Gasquet (2016), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2017) and Gael Monfils (2018).
Humbert set up a final against Alex De Minaur, who overcame Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 in the second semifinal after 2 hours and 48 minutes.
De Minaur broke serve at love in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Dimitrov broke straight back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Dimitrov converted his third break point in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead. De Minaur broke straight back in the seventh game to draw level to 4-4. Dimitrov got three mini-breaks to race out to a 5-0 lead in the tie-break. Dimitrov pulled two mini-breaks back, but De Minaur sealed the tie-break on his fourth set point after 55 minutes.
In the second set Dimitrov got a break in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. De Minaur broke back in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Both players went on serve in the next service games en route to the tie-break. Dimitrov raced out to a 6-0 lead with three mini-breaks. De Minaur got one mini-break back but Dimitrov closed out the tie-break 7-4 on his fourth set point.
The decider went on serve in the first six games. De Minaur broke serve in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead after two deuces. Dimitrov broke back in the eighth game at love to draw level to 4-4. De Minaur earned his second consecutive break in the ninth game and served out on his second match point.
De Minaur will play in his seventh career final. He won three of his previous six title matches.
De Minaur and Humbert will meet for the first time in their careers.
