Grigor Dimitrov enters Stockholm ATP final, closes in end-of-season Masters spot

Grigor Dimitrov entered the final of the Stockholm ATP Open with a win over Fabio Fognini and he came closer to sealing a spot in the end-of-season Masters tournament. Dimitrov’s opponent will be defending champion Juan Martin del Potro.

Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov beat Italy’s Fabio Fognini 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) to make the Stockholm ATP final on Saturday to consolidate his bid to play in a first end-of-season Masters.

Grigor Dimitrov closed in on his first appearance in the season-ending ATP Masters tournament as he entered the final of the Stockholm Open where he will face Juan Martin del Potro. (AFP)

Top-seeded Dimitrov climbed fifth ahead of Marin Cilic in the race to qualify for the end-of-season Masters in London next month with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem having already confirmed their places.

In Sunday’s final, Dimitrov will play defending champion Juan Martin del Potro after the giant Argentine, seeded four, defeated Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/1).

Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, will be looking to claim a 20th career title and become just the third Argentine player to reach the mark after Guillermo Vilas, who won 62 titles and Jose Luis Clerc who ended his career on 25.