The final is Grixpur’s seventh of his career, second of the season and first indoors. He is the first Dutchman to reach the final at this event and the first Dutchman to reach an ATP Tour final on indoor courts since Robin Haase in 2013 in Vienna.
His only other final this year, in Dubai in February, ended without a ball when he walked Daniil Medvedev.
A hard way through the draw
Grixpur, 30 and number 60, had to work for every win this week. He defeated Germany’s Max Schoenhaus 7-6 (3), 6-7 (5), 7-5 in the first round, and 7-6 (4), 7-5 over Argentina’s Mariano Navone in the second round. In the quarter-finals, he won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 against Jiri Lehecka, ranked No. 2 from the Czech Republic; Lehecka had reached the final here in the last two years.
Griekspur’s win over Cerundolo leveled their meeting at 1-1 after the Argentine won their only previous meeting 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 at the Miami Masters 1000 in 2022.
Another tough semi-final is underway for Cerundolo
The defeat was painful for Cerundolo. The 28-year-old, ranked 21st, missed his third final of the season after Buenos Aires and Queen’s Club and is still waiting for his first on hard courts; it was his third loss on hard court in three semifinals. A win would make him only the sixth Argentine in the Open Era to reach the final on clay, grass and hard courts.
He defeated American lucky loser Martin Damm 6-4, 7-6 (4) and French qualifier Clement Chidech 6-2, 6-4. He’ll still finish the week in the top 20, but the loss makes it difficult to finish the year higher.
Griekspur will face France’s Arthur Fils or Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff in the final of the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open on Sunday. Phils lead him 3-1, while Greekspur have won all three of their meetings with Struff.
