Anton Källberg is ready for the EC final after a stunning victory

Anton Källberg had a tough nut to crack in the semi-finals.

The 29-year-old has historically had difficulty against German world eleven Dang Qiu – club and training partner in Borussia Düsseldorf. Before the semi-finals, Källberg had four straight losses against the German in the bag.

Swinging start to the match

At 9–4 in the first set, Dang Qiu, who was playing flawlessly, looked headed for an easy first set win. But Källberg took nine straight balls and won the set.

- There is no better way to start than to turn over a set. It does a lot, says expert J-O Waldner in SVT.

The second set was developing in a similar direction with a big pick-up from Källberg, but the German tied the knot, winning 11–9 and leveling the set at 1–1.

"He's missing him!"

The German and the Swede took turns to win the next two sets, although Dang Qiu looked to be slipping away in the fourth set, and the semi-final turned into a nail-biter.

- A Källberg a year ago would not have returned here. Back then, he didn't have that confidence, says Waldner.

After a convincing 11–5 to the Swede in the fifth set, Källberg was one set away from the EC final.

And the Swede redeemed the EC final ticket after 11–4 in the sixth set.

- He misses him! guests J-O Waldner in the broadcast.

Pressured Felix Lebrun awaits in the final

In the other all-French semi-final, the first-seeded big favorite Felix Lebrun was pressured by the surprise Leo De Nordrest. A sometimes frustrated world number two was finally able to solve final advancement by winning 4–2 in sets.

The final session starts at 17.00 in SVT Play. The women's final between the Russian Elizabet Abraamian and the German Annett Kaufmann is first out.

The men's final between Anton Källberg and Felix Lebrun starts at 17.50.