De Minaur sees off Humbert to reach the Rotterdam Open final for a third straight year

[p]Neither player were at their best in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/de-minaur-a-EZgZ9Xfh/humbert-u-O4ywE5Ah/?mid=E5AixTin"]a semi-final marred by dozens of unforced errors[/a], but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-minaur-alex/EZgZ9Xfh/"]De Minaur[/a] produced more consistent tennis at the big moments, saving 10 break points.[/p][p][b]"I tried my best to be as solid as I could and today was another great mental performance,"[/b] said De Minaur.[/p][p][b]"I was in a lot of tough moments on my serve and the fact that I was able to hang tough and find a way out of these service games was critical...[/b][/p][p][b]"Hopefully tomorrow I don't have to save that many break points."[/b][/p][embed guid="611c317f-a3ac-4c1d-8ba8-47d13ed6815f" url="https://x.com/atptour/status/2022700507660226770" social-type="twitter" /][p]The top-seeded De Minaur seized the initiative early in the first set, breaking serve in the third game as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/humbert-ugo/O4ywE5Ah/"]Humbert[/a] pushed a simple groundstroke wide.[/p][p]Humbert had his chances to get back into the set, squandering four break points in the fourth game and two more in the eighth.[/p][p]The consistent Australian ultimately held firm, though, taking the set with a Humbert forehand dropping long.[/p][p]More unforced errors dogged Humbert at the start of the second set, with De Minaur breaking his serve in the first game as he dumped a simple forehand into the net.[/p][p]The Frenchman had yet another three chances to break back into the match in the eighth game but was denied by some trademark De Minaur defending.[/p][p]De Minaur sealed the win as Humbert dragged a backhand wide, leaving the Frenchman to rue 41 unforced errors and zero break points converted out of 10 chances.[/p][p]The 26-year-old Australian is the first person in the tournament's history to reach three consecutive finals. He's hoping to make it third time lucky in Rotterdam after losing the last two finals to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sinner-jannik/6HdC3z4H/"]Jannik Sinner[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Carlos Alcaraz[/a] respectively.[/p][p]Barring his way in the final will be the winner of Saturday's later clash, who was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/auger-aliassime-felix/CzXh4LAb/"]Felix Auger-Aliassime[/a] after he beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bublik-alexander/t0WN9vR6/"]Alexander Bublik[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/auger-aliassime-f-CzXh4LAb/bublik-a-t0WN9vR6/?mid=xxe6CSXp"]6-1, 6-2[/a].[/p][p]Auger-Aliassime dispatched local hero [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/griekspoor-tallon/f3zfMU5i/"]Tallon Griekspoor[/a] in the quarter-finals, whereas Bublik ground out a three-set win over Spain's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/munar-jaume/zZieQm4D/"]Jaume Munar[/a].[/p][p]Rotterdam has been a happy hunting ground for world number six Auger-Aliassime. He took home the trophy in 2022, beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tsitsipas-stefanos/hb6oWfc6/"]Stefanos Tsitsipas[/a] in the final.[/p]