Tata Open Maharashtra: Joao Sousa ends Elias Ymer’s run, to meet Emil Ruusuvuori's in final

Joao Sousa moved to Barcelona at the age of 16 and started training at the BTT tennis academy, where Francisco Roig, a key member of Rafael Nadal’s coaching staff, became his mentor. For the following six years, the Portuguese had the opportunity to learn from one of the game’s top minds and also had the occasional opportunities to practise with the Spanish legend himself. Needless to say, the 32-year-old Portuguese has imbibed the never-say-die fighting spirit of the Mallorcan.

He put it in ample display on Saturday as he came back from the brink to defeat Sweden’s Elias Ymer and move into the final of the Tata Open Maharashtra. Sousa, with a career-high rank of 38 in early 2019, saved three match points to stop the giant-killing run of qualifier Ymer 5-7, 7-6 (4), 7-5 in three hours and 13 minutes. In the final, the world No. 137 will take on Finland’s sixth seed Emil Ruusuvuori, who subdued Poland’s Kamil Kajchrzak 6-3, 7-6 (0) in the other semifinal of the $494,000 ATP 250 Series event.

“Rafa is a great player and a better person. It is good for me when I have a chance to practise with him. It gives a lot of intensity and great level,” Sousa said of his training sessions with the 21-time major champion. “Francis is one of the other pillars of my career. I have been working with him for a long time. I am still working with him sometime when I am in the academy (in Barcelona). It is an honour for me to be a part of this circle. I am trying to enjoy their company as much as I can.” Ymer has had a gentle sibling rivalry — spread over more than 7,000 kms apart — with his younger Mikael this week. While Elias made a splendid run in Pune, including a win over world No. 15 Aslan Karatsev, Mikael toppled Gael Monfils and