By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, May 5, 2018
Reigning champion Alexander Zverev topped Hyeon Chung, 7-5, 6-2, and Philipp Kohlschreiber swept Maximilan Marterer, 6-2, 6-4, setting up an all-German Munich final.
Photo credit: BMW Open By FWU Facebook
A marquee Munich final features German Davis Cup teammates reuniting on the red clay where their rivalry began.
Defending champion Alexander Zverev marched through eight of the last 10 games defeating fellow NextGen star Hyeon Chung, 7-5, 6-2, to reach the BMW Open final for the second straight year.
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The top-seeded Zverev beat Chung for the first time in three meetings, avenging a stinging five-set loss to the South Korean at the Australian Open.
Reigning champion Zverev will face three-time champion Philipp Kohlschreiber—who owns the most match wins Munich’s Open era history—in tomorrow’s title match.
The sixth-seeded Kohlschreiber cruised into his sixth Munich final carving up compatriot Maximilan Marterer, 6-2, 6-4, elevating his tournament record to 33-10.
Continuing his quest for a fourth Munich crown, Kohlschreiber carries a 2-1 edge over Zverev into the final, including a 6-2, 6-4 conquest at the 2015 BMW Open when Zverev was just 18.
Three Germans reached started the final four today—the most to contest ATP semifinals since the 2013 Munich event—with both Zverev and the 34-year-old Kohlschreiber showing staying power.
The top-seeded Zverev and fourth-seeded both possess exceptional two-handed backhands and are prolific shotmakers.
Playing with more energy and accuracy in the early stages, the fourth seed burst to a 3-0 lead only to see Zverev storm back to win seven of the next nine games.
The lanky German’s transition and net game are still works in progress. It showed when he served for the first set at 5-4.
Zverev made the mistake of approaching behind a crosscourt forehand and Chung made him pay sweeping a forehand pass to break back in the 10th game.
Shrugging it off, the Rome champion broke right back for 6-5 when Chung slapped a forehand into net.
Serving for the set again, Zverev double faulted on his second set point, but came right back thumping a serve winner down the T.
On his fourth set point, Zverev closed the 53-minute opener when Chung knocked a high backhand into net.
The one-set lead empowered Zverev to swing more freely and drive the ball a bit closer to the lines. Chung dodged a break point in the opening game of the second set but tapped a forehand drop shot into the tape as Zverev broke again for 2-1.
Grunting with more vitality, Zverev backed up the break at 15. By then errors were emanating from Chung’s racquet more frequently. A framed forehand gave the German his second straight break stretching his lead to 4-1.
An acute short-angled forehand from Chung staved off the first match point. Zverev zapped an ace wide for a second match point and when Chung’s return sailed long the defending champion was through to his second straight Munich final raising his 2018 record to 20-7.
The Miami Open finalist is seeking his first title of the season after capturing five championships last season.
A confident Kohlschreiber had too much experience and too many weapons for first-time semifinalist Marterer, who had not dropped a set in the event until facing the versatile veteran.
The left-handed German framed a forehand into the stands donating the first break and 3-2 lead to Kohlschreiber, who quickly consolidated with a love hold.
Reading the slice serve wide, Kohlschreiber cut off the angle and flicked a forehand return crosscourt breaking again for 5-2.
In complete command, Kohlschreiber kicked a wide serve that nearly sent his opponent into the side wall wrapping up a love hold for a one-set lead after 27 minutes.
Marterer double faulted away the break and a 3-2 second-set lead to the veteran.
Control can be oppressive. Throughout the match, Kohlschreiber was effective spreading the court, making Marterer move and forcing the 22-year-old to try to counter from defensive positions on the court.
Pushing Marterer corner-to-corner, Kohlschreiber stepped inside the baseline and scalded a forehand down the line scoring his second straight break.
The world No. 73 wasn’t done yet. Marterer snapped off a smash breaking back for 3-5 then slashed an ace forcing the former champion to serve for the final again.
This time, Kohlschreiber made no mistake.
The sixth seed sealed his sixth trip to the final with a love hold.