Tsonga, Del Potro reach final in Vienna

Top-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated German qualifier Daniel Brands 6-2, 7-6 (4) on Saturday to set up a final against Juan Martin del Potro at the Erste Bank Open.

It will be the ninth-ranked Tsonga's fourth final of the season and first since winning in Metz last month. The Frenchman has won six career titles.

Earlier Saturday, the second-seeded Del Potro defeated Kevin Anderson of South Africa 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to reach his third final of the year.

"It's a good challenge for me," said Tsonga, who is 0-3 against Del Potro. "I never beat him so this is another chance to do it. I expect to play my best tennis and to win."

The 15th-ranked Del Potro is chasing his third title of the season and 10th overall. He last reached a final in Estoril, Portugal in April.

"Since then, I did not have a good season in the Masters and the Grand Slams," he said. "I think I am close to my best level again now."

Tsonga raced into a 4-0 lead against the 182nd-ranked Brands, who struggled at the start of his second career semifinal.

Tsonga missed five chances to break Brands in the second set before wrapping up the win with an ace on his first match point in the tiebreaker.

"The first set was easy. I played better and moved better today," Tsonga said. "In the second set it was really tight but I had a lot of chances on his serve."

Brands' defeat meant that Julien Benneteau of France remained the only qualifier this year to reach an ATP final.

Del Potro dropped just two points on serve in the opening set and used the only break chance against Anderson, who won his first ATP title in his native Johannesburg in February.

The Argentine was less dominant in the second set when the sixth-seeded Anderson fought his way back into the match.

"I had to tell myself to stay focused," said Del Potro, who had 18 aces. "Tomorrow I need to be more concentrated to win the final."

Del Potro did not allow any break points in the final set and closed out the victory on his second match point on Anderson's serve.

"It's very difficult to break his serve. I had the chance to break him in the last game," Del Potro said. "I took it and it means a lot to me to be in the final. It's nice for my confidence to close the year at a good level."