World number 17 Lucas Pouille has made the Open 13 Provence in Marseille final after defeating veteran Richard Gasquet on Saturday. The rising Frenchman needed two sets to outclass his compatriot Gasquet and reach his first ever Marseille final 7-5 6-3. Prior to this year's tournament edition, Pouille was yet to make it past opening-round in Marseille. Next up for Pouille will be another local player - Jo Wilfried Tsonga.
Pouille hit 12 aces against Gasquet in the last-four clash - converted 3 out of 11 of his break point chances - saved 5 out of 6 of Gasquet's break point opportunities.
On the other side, Gasquet saved 8 out of 11 of Pouille's break point chances, but it wasn't his best day in the office and he paid the price in the end. It took an hour and 31 minutes for the match to touch the finishing line.
Pouille knows how to play on his home soil
Lucas Pouille had a breakthrough season in 2016, but one thing was missing - an ATP title. The 23-year-old badly wanted to put the icing on the cake, and eventually - he won his maiden ATP title at the end of last year's season. To make it even better, that title came on his home soil, in front of his home fans - at the Moselle Open in Metz. Pouille has yet to win a title since winning Metz, but he maybe won't have to wait for too long to achieve that.
He can win his career-second ATP title on Sunday - the first one since Metz, and the first one of the 2017 season.
Gasquet comes close, then ends just short
Richard Gasquet was really close to winning the Open Sud de France in Montpellier earlier this month, but lost in the tournament's final to Alexander Zverev. Now, two weeks later, he was bidding to make it all the way for the first in 2017 - fell short again.
It remains to be seen if the world number 19 can win one of the upcoming ATP events.
All set for an all French final in Marseille
Lucas Pouille and Jo Wilfried Tsonga will be squaring off against each other on Sunday in the final stage of the Open 13 Provence in Marseille. The two have met once so far in their career, with Tsonga ending on the winning side. Knowing that the title will go in the hands of a local player will certainly satisfy the Marseille organizers and fans.
