Bautista Agut through to face first-time finalist Medvedev
Having lost the 2013 final, Roberto Bautista Agut has a second chance for success at the Chennai Open after defeating Benoit Paire.
Roberto Bautista Agut will have a second crack at winning the Chennai Open after cruising past Benoit Paire in Saturday's semi-final.
The Spaniard was beaten by Janko Tipsarevic in the 2013 final of this ATP 250 event, having taken the first set, and four years on he has the opportunity to assuage the disappointment of that defeat.
Seeded second, Bautista Agut eased to a 6-3 6-3 success, booking a meeting with Daniil Medvedev, who saved one match point against Dudi Sela to earn a place in his first ATP Tour final with a 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 win.
Bautista Agut's passage was much more straightforward, a break in game eight setting him up to take the opening set, and a 4-0 lead in the second afforded him a slight wobble before closing out.
At 6-4 5-4 down in his semi-final, Medvedev faced match point at 40-30 behind on the Sela serve, but broke to keep his hopes alive before taking the tie-break.
Seemingly buoyed by that, Medvedev broke in the first game of the decider and then again in the closing stages to book his maiden final berth.