In a thrilling journey to the Libema Open final, Canada’s own Gabriel Diallo has once again proven his mettle with a stunning upset.
The talented 23-year-old from Montreal triumphed over France’s No. 2 seed Ugo Humbert, clinching the match with a score of 6-3, 7-6 (4) during Saturday’s semifinal. Just the day before, Diallo had already made waves by defeating No. 3 seed Karen Khachanov from Russia to secure his spot in the semifinals.
Standing tall at six-foot-eight, Diallo showcased his skills by transforming a 2-2 tie in the tiebreaker into a commanding 5-2 lead. Even as Humbert fought back to close the gap, Diallo surged ahead, clinching the victory with back-to-back points.
Diallo’s serving was impeccable, delivering four aces without a single double fault and winning an impressive 83 percent of his first-serve points. He capitalized on one of his five break point opportunities while keeping Humbert at bay without conceding any break points.
Meanwhile, Humbert achieved two aces without double faults of his own, securing 66 percent of his first-serve points.
Looking ahead, Diallo is set to face Belgium’s Zizou Bergs in Sunday’s final. Bergs earned his spot after defeating American Reilly Opelka with a decisive 6-1, 6-4 in the other semifinal.
