Roger Federer, Zverev win in Halle to set up intriguing final on Sunday – By Ricky Dimon

Written by: Staff on 24th June 2017

Roger Federer, Zverev win in Halle to set up intriguing final on Sunday - By Ricky Dimon |

Roger Federer earned a place in his 11th career Gerry Weber Open final thanks to a 6-4, 7-6(5) victory over Karen Khachanov during semifinal action on Saturday. The eight-time Halle champion prevailed after one hour and 25 minutes.

Federer surprisingly donated serve once in each set, but a second break of his own allowed him to take the first and he was extended to a tiebreaker in the second. Khachanov broke to stay alive at 4-5, failed to capitalize on either of two set points at 6-5, and eventually saw the back-and-forth second set–and the match–come to an end went he sailed a backhand past the baseline at 5-6 in the ‘breaker.

“I thought it was extremely close–especially that second set,” Federer said at his press conference. “I’m still just very happy how I was able to close it out in the ‘breaker.”

Next up for the 35-year-old Swiss is Alexander Zverev, who ousted Richard Gasquet 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. The 20-year-old German took the last four games of the contest starting from a 2-3 deficit in the third set. Zverev has already won three titles this season, including at the Rome Masters during the recent clay-court swing.

The head-to-head series is tied up at one victory apiece. Federer won 6-3, 7-5 last spring at the Rome Masters before Zverev pulled off a 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-3 upset in the Halle semifinals.

Sunday’s Queen’s Club final, meanwhile, will pit Marin Cilic against Feliciano Lopez. Those two veterans battled to respective three-set victories over Gilles Muller and Grigor Dimitrov on Saturday afternoon.

Cilic has won four matches in a row against Lopez, including two at Queen’s Club.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @Dimonator.

Topics: Alexander Zverev, Federer, Gerry Weber Open, Halle, Ricky Dimon, Roger Federer, Tennis News, Zverev