Defending champion Holger Rune moved past Christopher O’Connell 6-3 6-2 in 79 minutes to reach the final at the BMW Open in Munich.
Rune saved all eight break points and converted three of his break points.
Rune earned an early break and held serve at love to open up a 3-0 lead. The 2022 Paris Bercy Rolex Masters saved a total of four break points in the fifth and seventh games and served out the opening set on her first opportunity. Rune reeled off the last three games, including a break of serve to love in the seventh game
O’Connell earned four break points in the final game before Rune saealed the win on his first match point at deuce.
The Danish player has reached the final without dropping a set in the whole tournament. Last week he finished runner-up to Andrey Rublev in the championships match at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters last week.
Rune clinched the first title of his career in Munich last year.
“It’s been a very good start to the clay season for me and to be able to continue here means a lot. I have special memories from here, so I am super excited for tomorrow. I think it was a good match today. I had to be solid. Chris played a very good tournament beating some great players, so I am very happy”, said Rune.
Earlier this week O’Connell beat two-time Munich champion Alexander Zverev.
Rune set up a final against Botic Van de Zandschulp for the second consecutive edition. The Dutchman beat Taylor Fritz 6-4 7-6 (7-2) in 1 hour and 40 minutes. In last year’s final Rune was leading 4-3 in the first set when Van de Zandschulp retired.
Van de Zandschulp earned his first break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead in the opening set. Fritz saved two match points to hold serve at deuce in the ninth game. Van Zandschulp faced break points in the 10th game but he managed to hold on his serve and closed out the first set 6-4.
Van de Zandschulp earned an early break in the first game of the second set. Fritz pulled back on serve to draw level to 3-3. Van de Zandschulp saved two break points in the 10th game to send the match to tie-break. Van De Zandschulp earned three mini-break to open up a 5-1 lead in the tie-break. Fritz pulled one of the mini-breaks back, but Van De Zandschulp sealed the win with another mini-break on his second match point.
“I played really good tennis. I did not make a lot of mistakes and I think Taylor is playing amazing at the moment, reaching so many semifinals in Masters and even further. He is a great player and I had to play really good today”, said Van de Zandschulp.
