In Washington, Flavio Cobolli beats Ben Shelton to win his first final

In Washington Flavio Cobolli beats Ben Shelton and wins his first final

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Flavio Cobolli never ceases to amaze: he wins another comeback match and hits his first final on the tour at the "Mubadala Citi DC Open" (ATP 500 – prize money $2,100,230) being played on the concrete courts of the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park in Washington.

In the semifinals on the Italian night, the 22-year-old from Rome, No. 48 in the rankings and No. 10 in the seedings, came back from a 4-6 7-5 6-3 defeat, after more than two hours of struggle, of U.S. left-hander Ben Shelton, No. 14 in the rankings and second favorite in the tournament.

The Italian had also won, again on a comeback, his only previous match with the 21-year-old from Atlanta, played in the round of 16 on clay in Geneva last May.

Late in the Italian evening, Cobolli will play for the title with yet another American on the draw, Sebastian Korda, No. 22 in the rankings and No. 4 on the draw, who won 6-4 6-4 in the star-studded derby with Frances Tiafoe, No. 29 ATP and fifth seed.

The 24-year-old from Bradenton, Florida, won in three hard-fought sets his only previous match with the Italian, played this year in the second round of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia on clay in Rome.