Fish nears Delray Beach final

DELRAY BEACH, Florida (Ticker)—Mardy Fish appears to have the inside track in his quest for a third title.

The top-seeded American can book his place in the final of the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships on Saturday with a victory over No. 7 Jeremy Chardy of France.

The 21st-ranked Fish has not won a championship since claiming his second career title at Houston in April 2006. As the only top-50 player remaining in the field, however, the 27-year-old appears primed to end that title drought.

Fish also is in position to end a dry spell for Americans at this $500,000 hardcourt event. The last player to hoist the trophy on home soil was Jan-Michael Gambill, who defeated Fish in the 2003 final.

While Fish is trying to reach his reach 13th career ATP final, Chardy is bidding for his second championship appearance. The world No. 52 reached his first final earlier this year at Johannesburg, where he lost to fellow Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

An unlikely duo will contest the other semifinal as Russian qualifier Evgeny Korolev faces Belgium’s Christophe Rochus in a battle of players seeking their first ATP title.

Korolev, 21, is in line to become the second qualifier in as many years to reach the final here.

Last year, Japan’s Kei Nishikori came through qualifying to win the event with a three-set win over James Blake in the final.

First prize is $79,000.