Stan Wawrinka’s bid for a first ATP title since May 2017 was ended by a three-set loss to unseeded Frenchman Corentin Moutet in the Qatar Open semi-finals on Friday.

World number 81 Moutet will face Andrey Rublev in the final after downing top seed Wawrinka 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

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The 34-year-old Wawrinka is still waiting for his 17th ATP tournament victory and first since winning in Geneva more than two-and-a-half years ago.

The three-time Grand Slam champion had cruised past Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-4 in the last eight earlier on Friday.

Moutet, 20, reached his maiden top-level final despite falling a set behind, breaking in game 12 to take the second set before easing through the decider.

Second seed Rublev beat Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3, 6-1 in the first semi-final, having earlier cruised past Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 6-3 in the quarters.

Rublev, a former US Open quarter-finalist, is looking for a third ATP singles title.

 

AFP SPORTS