Garin overpowers Querrey to make Houston final

HOUSTON: Chilean Christian Garin (pic) powered past eighth seed Sam Querrey to make his second ATP Tour final at the US Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston.

Garin, who beat Querrey 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, will play Casper Ruud in the final after the Norwegian defeated Colombian qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan 7-5, 6-2.

Querrey was the last remaining seed but the American could not hold off Garin in the first set and was overwhelmed in the second.

The 22-year-old Chilean was two points from losing the opening set at 5-6, but held serve and cruised through the tie-break.

Garin remained dominant on serve in the second set, winning 16-of-19 service points as Querrey’s forehand failed him.

“The conditions today were slow and windy, which is really good for me,” Garin told reporters.

“I was really focused in the second set and I think he was a bit tired in the end, but I’m playing really well.”

The Chilean made his first ATP Tour final last month at the Brasil Open and is projected to move inside the top 50 if he wins.

Galan came into his semi-final having just wrapped up his rain-delayed quarter-final against Jordan Thompson.

The match resumed in the third set and Galan got the better of the seventh-seeded Australian to win 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.

He then got off to a fast start against Ruud, who needed a medical timeout after three games to work on his neck.

But Ruud rebounded by winning 11 of the last 13 games, breaking Galan four times en route to the win and sealing his spot in the final. — Reuters