Tsonga to face top-seed Murray in Vienna final

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga saved a match point before beating Ivo Karlovic 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (6) and setting up a final today against topseeded Andy Murray at the Erste Bank Open yesterday.

Murray advanced because defending champion David Ferrer pulled out with a left leg injury shortly before their semifinal.

Tournament director Herwig Straka said Ferrer visited a private clinic, where doctors advised him not to play.

Ferrer already looked hampered in Friday’s quarterfinal, and he complained about muscle cramps after the 2 1/2-hour match against Serbia’s Viktor Troicki.

The Scot, who is chasing his 42nd career title, is on a 13-match winning streak after winning back-to-back titles in Beijing and Shanghai. He won in Vienna on his only previous visit, in 2014.

“I’m obviously motivated to try and finish the season as strong as I can,” Murray said. “The first couple of matches were really tricky. But now that I get the chance to play for the title I hopefully play my best match in the final.”

In his first final of the year, Tsonga is aiming for his 13th career title. He won the event in 2011.

Karlovic, who won in Newport and Los Cabos, missed out on his fourth final of the season.