HAMBURG, July 16, 2016

With Pablo Cuevas and Martin Klizan, the 2016 German Tennis Championships features two new finalists with a new champion to be crowned on Sunday.

In front of about 7,500 spectators on centre court on a chilly Saturday afternoon in Hamburg, Cuevas defeated Renzo Olivo, who appeared in his first semi-final on tour level, in an all-South American-showdown 7-5, 6-3. The third seed from Uruguay saved all of the six break points he faced and converted his own second in the sixth game of the second set to advance to this fourth final of the season in one hour and 40 minutes.

Renzo Olivo

“His serve was pretty uncomfortable for me. I had a few break point chances in the first set but I couldn’t capitalize on them,” Olivo had to admit, but he enjoyed the atmosphere here.

“The crowd was unbelievable. It was my first time on centre court. I played three matches in a row here and it is a great feeling to play one of the biggest tournaments on the tour. Reaching the semis here is a positive thing and I will just try to keep it up to make more of these good results,” the 24-year-old Argentine was pleased with his run in Hamburg and will now continue his journey in Umag.

“It will be the best choice to go to Umag, as the conditions are simliar to here, playing at sea level instead of the altitude in Kitzbühel or Gstaad.”

Cuevas was understandably happy to reach his fourth title match of the season.

“I played against a fast player, who is also a good friend of mine. We practiced together during the pre-season. I am happy with the win and to reach another final,” Cuevas told. The world number 24 has not lost his serve this week so far.

“I have played a pretty decent week so far and I was pretty calm on court today,” said Cuevas, who lifted two trophies this season in Rio and Sao Paulo and finished runner-up on the grass in Nottingham.

“I was really happy to reach the final on grass but of course I feel more comfortable on clay.”

Martin Klizan

Klizan dismissed French veteran Stephane Robert, winning 6-3, 6-4. The 27-year-old from Slovakia is fit again after retirements for shoulder, food and neck injuries earlier this season. He won 72% of his first service points to seal victory in one hour and 22 minutes.

Klizan advanced to his second final of the season, after he had lifted the trophy at the ATP 500 event in Rotterdam. Klizan and Cuevas will meet for the second time on the tour with the latter leading 1-0 in head to head records. Their last encounter took plce at the ATP Challenger in Barranquilla two years ago.