Veteran qualifier Basilashvili shocks Tsitsipas to book Almaty final spot
Nikoloz Basilashvili, ranked 128th and aged 34, defeated seventh-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3 in the Almaty semifinals. The Georgian did not lose his serve across the match and advanced to his first ATP Tour final in over four years. He will meet either Daniil Medvedev or Alexander Bublik in Sunday's final.
Basilashvili, 34, entered Almaty as a qualifier ranked 128th and had already qualified for eight tour-level events this season, more than anyone else. He saved all three break points he faced and won 92% of first-serve points, keeping every one of his 16 service games intact.
The result marks his return to the top 100, a level he had not held since November of the previous year, and gives him a 10th ATP Tour final. It is his first since Doha in 2022 and second indoors after Memphis in 2017; he is the event’s second qualifier finalist after Emil Ruusuvuori in 2020.
Basilashvili’s run may resonate with older athletes and lower-ranked players who face injury and qualifying grind, offering a visible example that comebacks remain possible. It could also draw casual Georgian fans and Almaty spectators toward the final, boosting local interest in the ATP 250. For Tsitsipas, the loss may temper expectations around seeding, while the result may reinforce the unpredictability that keeps tennis compelling for audiences and sponsors.