World number six Milos Raonic has reached the Istanbul Open final. The Canadian tennis player defeated Serbia's Viktor Troicki without many problems in Saturday's semi-final. The top seed of the event outgunned the number five seed with losing just five games 6-2 6-3.
Raonic fired eight aces and converted each of his three break-point chances. Troicki had one break opportunity in the match, which was saved by the Canadian. It took an hour and five minutes for the clash to touch the finish line.
The 26-year-old has been successful thus far in his career against Serbia's Troicki, defeating him five times and losing just once.
2016 Wimbledon runner-up Raonic has given himself a chance to finally win a title this season. He was a finalist earlier this season in Delray Beach but was forced to give a win to Jack Sock due to an injury.
On the other side, Troicki has failed to reach a final for the second time this year. He was a semi-finalist in Sydney in January, losing to eventual champion Gilles Muller in the last-four stage of the event.
No back-to-back titles for Schwartzman
Croatian tennis player Marin Cilic will be facing big-serving Milos Raonic in the Istanbul Open final. The Croatian handed a loss to 2016 ATP Istanbul champion Diego Schwartzman in the semi-final. The second seed of the event prevailed over last year's champion in a two-set battle 6-1 7-6 (9-7).
Cilic broke the third-seed five times in 12 attempts during the match. Argentina's Schwartzman did manage to convert each of his three break-point tries against the world number eight but it wasn't enough.The match lasted an hour and 39 minutes.
28-year-old Cilic now has a 1-0 head-to-head record against the Argentine. The match on Saturday in Istanbul was the first ever meeting between the two.
Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion, will be bidding to win his first ATP singles title of the 2017 season on Sunday. Since 2008, he has won at least one ATP title every year.
Schwartzman had a good campaign this week in Istanbul but it wasn't enough to see him win the event this year as well.
All set for a great final
Milos Raonic and Marin Cilic are set to meet for the first time since 2013.
They will be going head-to-head for the third time in their respective careers when they meet on Sunday. The head-to-head record between the two is tied at one apiece.
Both will be looking to win their first title of the 2017 tennis season and their first ever Istanbul Open title. It remains to be seen will the eventual champion be top-seed Raonic or second favorite of the tournament Cilic.
