Tsitsipas, de Minaur in Milan final

The semi finals in the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan were the two best matches of the tournament, and both went the five set distance.

First semi final

Alex de Minaur (2) v Jaume Munar (7)

Munar had won both previous matches between the two - a futures event in Spain in 2016, and a Challenger final also in Spain - Segovia August 2017.

However, de Minaur has jumped from 208 at the start of 2018 to now sit at 31.

Neither player dropped serve in the opening set, with Munar winning 10 of 11 points on first serve, and taking the tie break seven points to five.

The Australian then grabbed control of the match, using his speed around the court, and running to the net on many occasions to end points.

The second and third sets were parcelled away by de Minaur 4-1 4-1, and he had match points in the fourth set when the Spaniard trailed 2-3 and 0-40.  Munar fought valiantly to stave off the match points, de Minaur missing the lines by centimetres.

After failing to break Munar and win the match, de Minaur also fell to a revitalised Munar in the tie break, seven points to four, and a fifth set would decide the match.

de Minaur won 10 of 12 points on his first serve in set five, and punished the Spanish second serve, winning all but one point when it was delivered.

One break of serve was managed by de Minaur, but he nearly blew his chances - seven break points for the set, and only four chances converted from 17 created in the match.

Alex de Minaur served out the semi final 3-4(5) 4-1 4-1 3-4(4) 4-2 in a two hour quality contest.

Second semi final

Stefanos Tsitsipas (1) v Andrey Rublev (5)

The opening two sets went to tie breaks, as no service breaks occurred, and the match was tied.

Tsitsipas took complete control in set three, winning 80% of points on serve, and taking all four games.  His variety of shot making had Rublev altogether bemused.

The Russian steadied in set four, his serve much more consistent, and he broke the Tsitsipas serve twice to level the match 3-4(3) 4-3(5) 0–4 4-2.

The deciding set saw Rublev playing catch up, serving second, but he handled the pressure well, achieving an equalising break, and forcing a tie break to determine the victor.

Tsitsipas stepped up when it mattered, and raced to a 6-2 lead in the tie break, and Rublev was unable to save the first of four match points.

Stefanos Tsitsipas won the eye catching semi final 4-3(3) 3-4 (5) 4-0 2-4 4-3(2) and will play Alex de Minaur in the final.

Both finalists have yet to lose a match in the tournament.