German Alexander Zverev will play in his fourth final of the season on Sunday after coming back to beat Frenchman Richard Gasquet 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Saturday at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle.
Zverev has already won three titles this season – beating Gasquet indoors in Montpellier; dismissing Guido Pella on clay in Munich; and knocking off then-World No. 2 Novak Djokovic in the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final in Rome.
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On Sunday, the #NextGenATP star will face top seed Roger Federer for the third time and in a rematch of their Halle semi-final last year. Zverev took that contest in three sets but their FedEx ATP Head2Head series is tied at 1-1 because Federer had beaten the German on clay earlier in 2016.
The 35-year-old Swiss will be going for his ninth Halle title; Zverev his first. For his career, Zverev will be seeking a fifth title, having also won the St. Petersburg Open crown last September for his maiden championship.
Federer is as beloved in Halle as he is anywhere, but Zverev, who is from Hamburg, should have some home support in what will be a packed Gerry Weber Stadion. The crowd certainly helped him pull through on Saturday.
Gasquet started out quicker, converting both of his break points in the first set to grab a one-set lead after 36 minutes. In the second set, Zverev was growing ever more frustrated with Gasquet's level but the German turned it around, solidifying his serve and breaking Gasquet in the fifth game.
In the third set, Gasquet was challenging Zverev again, though. The Frenchman was two points from a break and a 4-2 lead, but Zverev, serving at 2-3, 30/30, struck a forehand pass while stretched and on the run. He seized momentum on that point and clinched the hold with a booming service winner the next point. Zverev would win the next four games as well.