Kazakhstani Alexander Bublik broke Alexander Zverev's serve once in each set to win against the German counterpart with a score of 6-3, 7-5, and reach the final of the Halle Open tennis tournament on Saturday. The 26-year-old Bublik took advantage of his powerful serve to reach his first final this season just a week before the start of Wimbledon.
Zverev, who has lost in the Halle final twice before, lost his serve to give Bublik a 4-1 lead in the first set. The German player struggled with his serves, allowing Bublik to close the first set in 35 minutes. Zverev saved two break points at a 3-3 tie in the second set. The Kazakh player delivered a perfect game at a 5-5 tie, breaking Zverev's serve with a stunning forehand before sealing the victory in the next game.
Bublik, ranked 48th in the world, will play in the final on Sunday against either Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut or Russia's Andrey Rublev. Rublev's precise shots stunned his Spanish opponent, and he lost his serve once to reach the final, hoping to claim his second title of the season.
