Herbert saves two match points to reach Shenzhen final

France's Pierre-Hugues Herbert returns the ball. (Koji Ueda/AP)

SHENZHEN, China — Pierre-Hugues Herbert of France saved two match points to upset seventh-seeded Alex de Minaur 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (8) and reach the Shenzhen Open final on Saturday.

Herbert, a doubles specialist who has won three Grand Slam titles including the French Open this year, saved the match points in the third-set tiebreaker at 6-5 and 7-6. He won the semifinal on his second match point.

He’s into his second ATP singles final; he was runner-up in the other in 2015 in Winston-Salem.

Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan made it to his first final after beating fifth-seeded Fernando Verdasco 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5).

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