NEW DELHI: India's Ramkumar Ramanathan, who is turning around his season in a brilliant fashion, reached his second ATP Challenger level final of the year with a hard-earned three-set win over Tommy Paul in the Winnetka event in the USA.
The fifth seeded Indian overcame the challenge of the American 4-6 6-3 6-2 in the one hour 51 minute semifinal of the USD 75,000 hard court event.
Saving five of the seven breakpoints proved crucial for Ramkumar in the match. The Indian managed to beat his rival four times out of six opportunities.
He next faces Japan's Akira Santillan, who also came through a tough three-setter, beating Britain's Matthias Bachinger 6-4 4-6 6-4.
Ramkumar recently enjoyed the biggest win of his career, beating world number eight Dominic Thiem at the Antalya Open.
Before this, he had made the final of Tallahassee Challenger, where he lost to Slovakia's Blaz Rola in April.
He also won two USD 15,000 ITF singles titles in Singapore.