Alexander Blockx vs Luciano Darderi — SF — Estoril Open

Break-point economy decided it. Alexander Blockx cashed 5 of 8 break chances, Luciano Darderi 6 of 14, and that efficiency gap sank a No. 2 seed the betting market had priced at 61 percent, in a matchup with no prior meetings on record. Twice the No. 4 seed trailed by a break, Darderi breaking for 3-1 in the second and 1-0 in the third, and twice he answered — game 9 for 4-5, game 8 for 4-4 — before taking both tiebreaks. Darderi banked more games, 19 to 17, and saved one match point, but Blockx converted his second, 2 hours, 44 minutes in, booking a place in the Estoril Open final and a shot at a first ATP title.