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Ferrero, Starace into Croatia Open final
Juan Carlos Ferrero reached the Croatia Open final for a second straight year after dispatching Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals on Saturday.
The fourth-seeded Ferrero, who lost to Nikolay Davydenko in last year's clay-court final, will meet unseeded Potito Starace of Italy on Sunday.
Starace beat eighth-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2 to make his first final in three years.
Former No. 1 Ferrero will appear in his fourth final this year.
He won in Costa do Sauipe and Buenos Aires and was runner-up at Acapulco.
"It was not easy in the beginning, I couldn't breathe normally after strong rallies in the first few games," Ferrero said. "The second set went easier than I thought."
He said Starace has played "very good tennis" in the last three weeks. "I will try to be aggressive."
Ferrero has a 5-1 advantage against Starace.
In his 33rd career final, Ferrero is looking for his 15th title.
Starace is still seeking his first.
"I am happy to be in my first final after three years. This is a big opportunity for me," Starace said. "It's not easy to win the title, but I will try."
Chela, who ousted top-seeded Davydenko in the quarterfinals on Friday, lost control after winning the tiebreaker, losing his serve five times.
Starace blew a 5-2 lead in the first set, but turned momentum when he broke at 2-2 in the second.
Chela said Starace "served better and played better on big
points."
