Jan-Lennard Struff rallied from a slow start to beat Ilya Ivashka 6-4 6-1 after 87 minutes to advance to the BMW Open in Munich. Struff broke a seven-match losing streak in semifinals.
Ivashka converted his third break point in the second game to race out to a 3-0 lead. Struff broke twice in a row in the fifth and seventh games and saved three break points at 4-3 before closing out the first set with an unreturned serve after 48 minutes.
Ivashka fended off three break points in the first game of the second set, but Struff earned the break in the third game with a powerful backhand. Struff went up a double break in the fifth game with a forehand return winner. He did not look back and sealed the second set with his third break in the seventh game.
Ivashka, who defeated two-time BMW Open champion Alexander Zverev, was bidding to reach his first ATP Tour final.
“I am happy to have reached my first final on home soil in Germany and I will try my best tomorrow”, said Struff.
Struff set up a final against Nikoloz Basilashvili, who cruised past Casper Ruud 6-1 6-2 after 71 minutes in the second semifinal. Basilashvili has reached the seventh ATP Tour final of his career.
Basilashvili reeled off nine consecutive games from 0-1 in the opening set to build up a 6-1 3-0 lead with four breaks of serve. Basilashvili never looked back in his next service games and closed out the second set wih his double break in the eighth game.
“I am feeling good and fresh. I am looking forward to the final. I feel confident here and the court suits me, so it will be an interesting match tomorrow, as we played recently in Italy”, said Basilashvili.
Ruud and Basilashvili completed rain-interrupted quarter finals earlier today. Ruud beat John Millman 6-3 6-4 in 1 hour and 31 minutes to reach the 10th ATP Tour semifinal of his career. The Norwegian player reached his second Masters 1000 semifinal in Monte-Carlo earlier this year. Basilashvili, who resumed his match at 5-4 in the first set, beat Slovakian lucky loser Norbert Gombos 6-4 6-4 in 84 minutes. Basilashvili claimed the fourth title of his career in Doha last March.
