Alexander Zverev saved all five break points he faced in his 6-3 7-6 (7-2) win over Grigor Dimitrov to reach the final at the Chengdu Open.
Zverev hit 10 aces and four aces in the first set. The German player earned two breaks in the first and ninth games to win the opening set 6-3.
Zverev saved three break points in the third game of the second set to hold serve at deuce. Both players went on serve in the next games en route to the tie-break. Zverev earned two mini-breaks to win the tie-break 7-2.
Zverev improved to 7-1 in his head-to-head matches against Dimitrov. The German player will play the 32nd ATP Tour final of his career and his 21st hardcourt championships match. He is aiming to win his 21st title. He won his only ATP 500 title of the season in his native city Hamburg.
Earlier this week Zverev beat Pavel Kotov and Miomir Kecmanovic in three sets in his first two matches.
“For sure it was the best match I have played in Chengdu. Even though I think yesterday’s match was a very high level and Kecmanovic was playing extremely well. I am very happy to be in the final, that’s what I came for and hopefully it’s going to be another high-level match tomorrow”, said Zverev.
The German player has a record of 45 to 21 this season and is currently seventh in the ATP Race to Turin.
Zverev will face Roman Safiulin, who beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-3 6-3 to reach his first ATP Tour final.
The first set went on serve until the sixth game when Safiulin was not able to convert a break point. The Russian player broke serve in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead and held his final service game to seal the first set 6-3.
Musetti fended off a break point in the fifth game of the second set. Safiulin broke serve in a very long eighth game as Musetti hit backhand into the net.
Safiulin emerged last year at the start of the season and climbed into the top 100 of the ATP Rankings for the first time in his career. He reached his first quarter final at Grand Slam level at Wimbledon last July.
