By Alberto Amalfi | Saturday, May 6, 2017

 

Alexander Zverev broke in the 11th game of both sets beating second-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut, 7-5, 7-5, to reach the Munich final.

Photo credit: BMW Open by FWU

Alexander Zverev                         made a committed forward march into his first Munich final.

The 20-year-old German played with aggression and knocked off some timely volleys toppling second-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut, 7-5, 7-5, to power into his fifth career final.

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Winless in two prior meetings with the 18th-ranked Spaniard, Zverev drove strikes down the line and served with authority at critical stages. Zverev hit nine aces, including slashing and ace wide on match point, and denied three of four break points.



It is Zverev’s first final since he defeated Jeremy Chardy, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet in succession to win Montpellier in February.

Zverev will play Argentine qualifier Guido Pella in tomorrow’s final.

It will be the first meeting between Zverev and the 158th-ranked Pella. 

Pella rallied past South Korean Hyeon Chung, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4. It  was Chung's second match of the day. Earlier, he completed a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 quarterfinal victory over Martin Klizan. 

A tense opening set turned on a double fault in today's first semifinal.

Facing triple break point, Bautista Agut saved the first break point but sputtered a double fault into net as Zverev broke for 6-5.

A forehand pass brought Zverev to set point. He hammered a pair of smashes to seal a one-set lead.



Making the most of his lanky 6’6” frame, a fully-extended Zverev zapped a backhand return winner down the line earning his fourth straight game and breaking to open the second set. Zverev held at 15 to back up the break.

Bautista Agut chipped away with his forehand converting his third break point to break for the first time all day for 2-all in second set.

Following the same script as the first set, Zverev broke for a 6-5 second-set lead.

Zverv served out the match with his ninth ace booking his spot in his second final of the season.