A steadfast Dan Evans’s efforts were in vain during a three-set Canadian Open with Pablo Carreno Busta, as the Spaniard advanced to the showpiece event.
The British number two had enjoyed some memorable scalps en route to the final four, defeating the likes of Andrey Rublev, Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul.
However, the big-serving and aggressive Carreno Busta edged ahead in a tightly-fought first set before he was broken by Evans – never afraid to approach the net – in the second.
A wonderful passing backhand down the line saw Carreno Busta break back before the 31-year-old was presented with the chance to wrap up the match in the tie-break, which he failed to do.
Evans levelled proceedings but was blown away by his counterpart in the third and final set, as Carreno Busta advanced to the final courtesy of a 7-5, 6-7(7), 6-2 victory.
“It was fun for the crowd but for me it was tough. I had a match point in the second set but he served pretty good so I couldn’t do anything. When you have a match point and have to play another set, it’s always hard to do it,” Busta said on his on-court interview.
“Mentally I think I was very good. Probably the beginning of the third set was the hardest part of the match. But after that I thought I had to be more aggressive, try to push a lot, try to go to the net, and it was good.”
Carreno Busta ended the match with a 73% win rate on his first serve and just one double fault compared to Evans’s six, as the world number 23 prepares to battle Hubert Hurkacz – who defeated Casper Ruud – in his first-ever Masters 1000 final.