Alexander Zverev’s victory over Roger Federer has confirmed he will face Florian Mayer in an all-German final at the Gerry Weber Open on Sunday.
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Federer, who has not won a title since Basel in October last year, has won eight titles in Halle but his quest to make it nine ended in two hours and six minutes courtesy the 19-year-old star in the making who reached the third round of the French Open.
The Swiss world number three had not lost to a teenager for almost 10 years since the young Andy Murray beat him in Cincinnati in 2006, which gives an indication of Zverev’s considerable potential.
Zverev will meet the victor of the other semi between Austrian Dominic Thiem and German Florian Mayer.
Roger Federer reacts after losing to German teenager Alexander Zverev in the Halle Open semi-final.
Federer was unable to battle back from there and he fails to reach the final in Halle for the first time in his last 11 attempts.
“I haven’t really grasped it yet”, Zverev said. “I played very good and served well once again”.
The 21-year-old dropped serve early on against her Spanish opponent, repaired the damage in a rousing second set, accelerated into a 4-2 final set lead, and then twice had to serve to save the match before snatching the result in a tense tie-break. Federer’s eight titles in Halle are already a record.
Just over a week before the start of Wimbledon, it was the second semifinal defeat in a row on grass for the World No. 3 after Thiem beat him in Stuttgart last week. He clinched the match with a service victor.
“It’s nice to win this match going into Wimbledon and obviously (reaching) the final here as well”.
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Former Wimbledon semi-finalist Raonic will take on Murray hoping to win his first ever grass-court title and his second ATP title of 2016 after his victory in Brisbane in January.
