Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scor

O&N HOME | NFL MLB NBA NHL NCAAF NCAABk Nascar Golf Soccer Tennis Boxing Horse Racing All Sports

Melzer, del Potro to square off in Kitzbuhel final

Sat 19th, July 2008

Kitzbuhel, Austria (Sports Network) - Jurgen Melzer will try for a title in his home country when he faces Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro in the final of the Austrian Open.

The sixth-seeded Melzer earned a 6-4, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 semifinal win over Italy's Potito Starace to become the first Austrian to reach the Kitzbuhel title match since Thomas Muster finished as the runner-up to Albert Costa in 1995.

Del Potro, meanwhile, will try for his second consecutive ATP singles crown after disposing of Romania's Victor Hanescu, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), in Saturday's other semifinal. Last week, del Potro captured the tournament in Stuttgart for his first career singles title.

The seventh-seeded del Potro has won his last nine matches and hasn't tasted defeat since a second-round setback to Stanislas Wawrinka at Wimbledon.

Melzer is just 1-5 lifetime in ATP singles finals, capturing his lone title at Bucharest in 2006. He last played in a final last year, losing in Las Vegas to Lleyton Hewitt.

The 19-year-old del Potro is 2-0 lifetime against the 27-year-old Melzer, beating him in straight sets at the 2007 U.S. Open and winning a grueling five-setter in a first-round Davis Cup tie last year.

Sunday's champion will claim a first prize of $185,000.