Cerundolo Reaches Final In Rainy Eastbourne

Francisco Cerundolo overcame the Eastbourne rain and American Mackenzie McDonald to reach the final at the Rothesay International on Saturday.

The Argentine led McDonald 2-6, 7-5, 5-2 when the wet weather intervened on Friday evening, but he wasted little time in reaching his fourth tour-level final and first on grass when the action resumed Saturday, advancing 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 in two hours and seven minutes.

Cerundolo, who has earned a career-best 27 wins this season, will continue the quest for his second tour-level crown when he meets second seed Tommy Paul or Frenchman Gregoire Barrere in the championship match later on Saturday. Cerundolo won his only previous tour-level trophy on clay in Bastad last year.

The American McDonald was in control early in the semi-final with a 6-2, 4-1 advantage. But Cerundolo snapped back with four straight games and then won six consecutive games to take the second set and open up a 4-0 lead in the third. McDonald snatched one break back in the deciding set before rain stopped play, but was broken immediately when the action resumed on Saturday.