Tennis: Zverev downs Dimitrov to enter Chengdu Open final, Khachanov seals final spot in Zhuhai

New Delhi: Alexander Zverev of Germany on Monday secured a 6-3, 7-6(2) semifinal victory over Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov at the Chengdu Open to move within one match of his second ATP Tour title of the season.

Zverev fired 21 winners, including nine aces, as he delivered a classy all-round showing to improve to 7-1 in the pair’s Head-to-Head series. The German is now 45-21 for the season and seventh in the ATP Live Race To Turin as he seeks to qualify for the ATP Finals, where he is a two-time champion.

His next hurdle in Chengdu is a second tour-level meeting with Roman Safiullin, who will be competing in his maiden ATP Tour final. The German is all too aware of Safiullin’s improvement since he defeated the now-World No. 55 in straight sets at Roland Garros in 2021.

Elsewhere, Karen Khachanov snapped a five-match semi-final losing streak on Monday at the Zhuhai Championships, where he defeated Sebastian Korda 7-5, 6-4 to reach his first final of the season.

The 27-year-old was competing for just the fourth time in singles since his quarter-final match at Roland Garros, where he suffered a stress fracture in his back. He fell in the first round at the US Open, but has recorded three wins in Zhuhai, also defeating Alex Bolt and Mackenzie McDonald.

The World No. 15 will meet Japanese star Yoshihito Nishioka in the championship match on Tuesday. Khachanov is aiming to win his first title since 2018 and fifth overall. He has tasted success on Chinese soil before, lifting the trophy in Chengdu in 2016.

–IANS