Winston-Salem Open 2015: Friday Tennis Scores, Results and Updated Draw Schedule

Unranked underdog Pierre-Hugues Herbert continued his surprise run at the Winston-Salem Open, advancing to his first career ATP tournament final where he will take on second-seeded Kevin Anderson. 

Herbert knocked off No. 13 Steve Johnson in three sets in the semifinals. This is quite a turnaround for the 24-year-old, who hasn't played in an ATP event since losing in the second round at Wimbledon in June.  

Standing the way of Herbert's first career singles title is Anderson, who knocked off Malek Jaziri in straight sets. 

Jaziri provided a strong fight in the first set, winning four games, but Anderson breezed through the second set, thanks in large part to a break point in the fifth game.

Friday Results

Match	Score
Pierre-Hugues Herbert def. No. 13 Steve Johnson	3-6, 7-6, 6-2
No. 2 Kevin Anderson def. Malek Jaziri	6-4, 6-2

Saturday Schedule

Match	Start Time (ET)	Network
No.2 Kevin Anderson vs. Pierre-Hugues Herbert	1 p.m.	ESPN2

Recap

Gerry Broome/Associated Press

Herbert entered the Winston-Salem Open as a qualifier and will need to find every ounce of stamina in his body after playing eight matches in the past seven days just to reach this point. 

After his hard-fought victory over Johnson, Herbert acknowledged to the Associated Press (via FoxSports.com) he's been feeling it in the mornings despite not dwelling on it. 

"

I cannot believe it, really. The last three days, it's been really tough to wake up, really tough to practice, and really tough to go on the court. I'm really tired. I'm taking every day step by step, point by point, and trying not to think. Maybe that's why I'm capable of being there (in the final).

"

Johnson actually had an extra day to prepare for this match, as his quarterfinal opponent, Yen-Hsun Lu, was forced to withdraw due to a back injury. He came out strong with a 6-3 win in the first set, but was unable to finish things off in the second-set tiebreaker. 

Even though the competition in Winston-Salem isn't up to usual standards because most of the world's top players are in New York preparing for the U.S. Open, Herbert's run to the final is one of the most improbable for a men's star in 2015. 

Herbert entered this event ranked 140th in the ATP world rankings and had just one singles win in a tournament—over Hyeon Chung in Wimbledon's first round—this season. 

As a result of Herbert's run this week, tennis broadcaster Nick Lester noted that will push the rising French star into the top 100. He's also broken another barrier with two wins over ranked opponents in a single event (Johnson and Marcos Baghdatis).

Herbert's journey is not yet complete, as Anderson looks like Novak Djokovic by comparison. This is the 29-year-old's third final of the season. He's lost the previous two against Andy Murray at the AEGON Championships and Kei Nishikori at the Memphis Open. 

This time, however, Anderson will enter the final as a favorite. He does have two career titles on his resume, though the most recent one came February 2012. 

If Anderson is going to break that three-year drought, it will certainly start with his serve. The South African had 11 aces against Jaziri, bringing his season total to 714; only Ivo Karlovic and John Isner have more this season. 

Herbert hasn't been a slouch with his serve, firing up 19 aces against Johnson, so expect a lot of points to be won with power. 

Given the number of matches Herbert has played in the last week and his lack of experience on this stage, Anderson has everything working in his favor. 

The Cinderella story is always fun to talk about, but reality sets in more often than not. Anderson is the better player and will take advantage of a weak opponent to secure a solid victory before the U.S. Open.

Stats via ATPWorldTour.com