Banja Luka: Two finals in two weeks now for Rublev

Andrey Rublev keeps going! After winning his first Masters 1000 title in Monte-Carlo last week, he will play a final again this week in Banja Luka. The second seed won the Serbia Open in Belgrade last year so he will now try to defend his title all the way even in another city.

On Saturday, he won his eighth win in a row after not really facing any real trouble against Slovak Alex Molcan (6-2, 6-4), except in the middle of the second set when he lost the break he had (6-2, 3-1). Rublev, ranked No 6, will now face the winner of the match between Dusan Lajovic and No 4 seed Miomir Kecmanovic next.

He beat Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas (6-2, 6-2) and Bosnian wildcard Damir Dzumhur (7-5, 6-3) in the previous rounds of the Banja Luka tournament. Earlier in the tournament, Molcan, ranked No 73, won against Japanese Taro Daniel (3-6, 7-5, 6-1), Australian Alexei Popyrin (7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-5) and Serb Laslo Djere (6-2, 4-6, 7-5).

Banja Luka ATP250, other semi-final results (Tennis Klub Mladost, clay, EUR 562.815):

• Dusan Lajovic vs. Miomir Kecmanovic