MUNICH, April 30, 2022
All four players in singles action on semi-finals Saturday at the BMW Open by American Express have reached the stage of the last four on the ATP Tour for the first time this season. Spectators needed to get their jackets out again on a chilly afternoon at the MTTC Iphitos in Munich to watch the quartet of main draw debutants at the International Bavarian Tennis Championships.
Danish teen sensation Holger Rune, who celebrated his 19th birthday on Friday, booked his spot in his first tour-level final by ending the great run of Germany’s Oscar Otte. The Scandinavian wild card entry overcame a slow start when he was a break down in the first set but capitalized on three of his own 13 break-point opportunities to secure a 6-4, 6-4 victory in one hour and 28 minutes.
What a way to WIN IT! 🤯
The point that put @holgerrune2003 into his first ATP final!@BMWOpen2022 pic.twitter.com/q3W1zttolh
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 30, 2022
“It’s a pretty unreal feeling,” said Rune after becoming the third-youngest Munich finalist in the Open Era. “I didn’t expect this at all coming into this tournament, and I just took it match by match. Obviously, I had a tough draw, playing Zverev in the second round, but I knew it was going to be tough, so I was ready from the beginning, and I’m super happy to be in the final.”
Van de Zandschulp outlasts Kecmanovic
Earlier in the day, Botic van de Zandschulp outlasted No. 7 Miomir Kecmanovic 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 in the longest match of the week. The No. 8 seed from the Netherlands won one point less than his opponent but showed some blistering winners from the back of the court to prevail after two hours and 52 minutes.
“I am pretty tired right now. It was a long match in tough conditions,” van de Zandschulp said afterwards. “The court was very slow. He did it better in the first set, but in the second set I started to play better, smarter. I am happy to win 6-4 in the third.”
Rune and van de Zandschulp will meet for the first time when a new ATP Tour champion will be crowned.
“It’s getting better and better, I’m improving every day, and this is what matters,” said World No. 70 Rune. “At the end I have some goals to be No. 1 in the world and you have to start somewhere, and I’m happy to be here in Munich.”
Munich Moments
* Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies have reached back-to-back doubles finals on the ATP Tour. Following their triumph at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell last week, the third-seeded all-German duo defeated Lloyd Glasspool of Great Britain and Harri Heliovaara from Finland 7-5, 6-3 on Saturday. “Kramies” will face Brazilian Rafael Matos and David Vega Hernandez of Spain for the title.
Doubles final is locked 🔒
Big congrats to @KrawietzKevin and @AndreasMies for reaching the BMW Open by American Express Doubles final. 👏Tomorrow in the final they are facing David Vega Hernandez and Rafael Matos 🙌💪🏼#bmwopenbyamex @atptour pic.twitter.com/RtAc8M3Vrw— BMW Open by American Express (@BMWOpen2022) April 30, 2022
* In the final of the traditional Rudi-Berger-Cup, named after Munich’s former tournament director, 14-year-old top seed Julian Engel will take on 15-year-old Sydney Zick. The Rudi-Berger-Cup is an invitational tournament organized by the Bavarian Tennis Federation with some of Bavaria’s best teenagers competing in an eight-man draw. It is being held during the final weekend of the BMW Open by American Express.
