Loser Rublev gets winning feeling

Umag - Russian lucky loser Andrey Rublev reached his first ATP World Tour final on Saturday with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 win over Croatian wild card Ivan Dodig at the Umag clay court tournament.

World number 74 Rublev had originally been knocked out of qualifying by Hungary's Attila Balazs last weekend before the 19-year-old was handed a main draw place when home hope Borna Coric withdrew with an injury.

"I'm happy that I'm in my first final," Rublev said. "The key was staying strong mentally. I feel that both of us weren't feeling really well on the court and the conditions were tough."

After knocking out third seed Fabio Fognini in the quarter-finals, Rublev goes on to face fourth seed Paolo Lorenzi, 16 years his senior, for the title.

Lorenzi, 35, beat fellow Italian Alessandro Giannessi 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.