Cilic, Ancic advance to Croatia final

Second-seeded Marin Cilic and seventh-seeded Mario Ancic of Croatia advanced Saturday to the championship match of the Zagreb Indoors tennis tournament.

Cilic, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, was a 6-2, 7-5 victor against improved rising star Viktor Troicki of Serbia. Ancic outlasted Czech Jan Hernych 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 7-6 (11-9).

The 20-year-old Cilic won his match despite converting only 3-of-10 break point chances and just a 53 percentage rate on first serves.

Ancic finally claimed his victory in a third-set tie break, saving three match points at 4-6, 6-7 and 10-9 on his third try after Hernych’s backhand shot went wide.

When the local favorites square off in Sunday’s final, it will be their first-ever meeting.

The champion takes home a $93,750 first-place check.