NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) – Seventh-seed Alexander Popp hopes his success on grass continues for at least one more match.

Popp defeated fifth-seeded Cyril Saulnier, 6-4, 7-6 (5) on Saturday to advance to the finals of the Hall of Fame Championships.

Popp will face Greg Rusedski in the final Sunday. Rusedski, who is unseeded, beat eighth-seeded Antony Dupuis, 7-5, 7-6 (10), in the other semifinal.

“The first time I ever played on grass, I lost 6-0,” said Popp, 27, who will appear in his first career ATP final. “Now, every season, as soon as I start playing on grass, if it doesn’t work out I don’t worry about it.”

Popp, a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon last month, was down a break in the second set before he rallied back. He trailed 4-5 in the tiebreaker before winning the final three points. Saulnier flubbed a service return, giving Popp a 6-5 lead, then hit a forehand shot into the net on match point.

“I tried to stay in the match,” Saulnier said. “I tried to fight all the way because I wasn’t playing too good.”

In the other match, Rusedski broke in the final game of the first set. He failed on three match points before hitting a backhand drop that just eluded Dupuis for the victory.

“For me, this was a good match because once you get down to the final four, everyone is playing well,” Rusedski said.

Rusedski will be looking for his 14th career title in the final.

Steffi Graf, Stefan Edberg and Dorothy “Dodo” Cheney will be enshrined into the Hall of Fame before Sunday’s final.

AP-ES-07-10-04 1839EDT