By Alberto Amalfi | Saturday, July 28, 2018

 

Leonardo Mayer denied match point edging qualifier Jozef Kovalik, 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (7), advancing to his third German Tennis Championships final.

Photo credit: German Open Tennis Championships am Hamburger Rothenbaum

All good things must come to an end.

Leonardo Mayer was in no mood for title termination. 

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The reigning Hamurg champion fought off a match point subduing qualifier Jozef Kovalik, 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (7), advancing to his third German Tennis Championships final.

The 36th-ranked Argentinian will play for his third Hamburg title tomorrow when he takes on either Chilean Nicolas Jarry or qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia.

Mayer hit 12 more winners than Kovalik (42 to 30) and won 16 of 24 trips to net, including a slick stab volley on his second match point to close.

Leonardo Mayer, who defeated Germany's Florian Mayer in the 2017 final, raised his Hamburg record to 15-2.


The Tennisstadion am Rothenbaum has been a home away from home for the 31-year-old Mayer.

Today, Kovalik nearly delivered an eviction notice.

In a match that featured just one break of serve, Kovalik squeezed out the first set in a tense tie break.

Mayer scored the lone break of the match in the second set to force a decider.

In a topsy-turvy tie break, Kovalik took a 2-0 lead only to see Mayer reel off four consecutive points for 4-2.

Deadlocked at 5-all, Mayer netted a mid-court forehand handing the 113th-ranked Slovak match point.

Crunching a twisting forehand return, Mayer denied match point with a loud "come on!"

Kovalik saved a match point on a mis-hit forehand for 7-all.

Mayer rapped his eighth ace down the middle for a second match point.

Drawing his opponent forward with a drop shot, Mayer guessed right, moved right and poked a stab forehand volley into the open court to close a dramatic two hour, 50-minute victory.