Tennis: Finn Tearney on course for back-to-back New Zealand Championship titles

Finn Tearney. Photo / Photosport

Defending champion Finn Tearney has cruised into the men's singles final at the New Zealand Tennis Championships in Auckland.

The 26-year-old Wellingtonian has brushed aside an ailing Macsen Sisam 6-0 6-1.

The match was a repeat of last year's final won in straight sets by Tearney and while that was comfortable for the former New Zealand number one, this was a demolition job.

Eighteen-year-old Sisam who is headed to a US college next month just couldn't get going and appeared hampered by a back problem. He received extensive treatment after taking a medical time out at the end of the first set.

Tearney will face 5th seed Alexander Klintcharov for the title. The 22-year-old won a quality encounter with Kiranpal Pannu 6-3, 6-4.

Both players struggled on serve early on and the pair traded breaks before Klintcharov got the decisive break and served out the first set 6-3.

Klintcharov saved three break points in the 6th game of the 2nd set and another two in his next service game, saving the first by serve and volleying for the first time in the match. Pannu then found himself 0-40 down and while he saved the first two break points couldn't save the third as Klintcharov broke serve and then served out the match.

Klintcharov has just returned to New Zealand after playing back to back ITF Futures tournaments in Cameroon, making the singles quarter finals last week. The 22 year old was a promising junior but is currently not ranked on the ATP Tour because he has been out for two years with a wrist injury.

Pannu has been based in the US playing college tennis and this year the 21 year old won a college conference wildcard playoff for a place in qualifying for the Atlanta ATP event. He lost to one of the most talented players in the world, Australian Thanisi Kokkinakis 6-3, 6-4. The closeness of the score line highlights the young Kiwi's potential.