BERLIN: Defending champion Holger Rune booked a return to the final of the ATP tournament in Munich, defeating Australian Christopher O'Connell in straight sets on Saturday.
The 19-year-old Dane, who has never lost in Munich, made short work of O'Connell, winning 6-2, 6-3.
Ranked 82 in the world, O'Connell made it through to the last four after dispatching home favourite Alexander Zverev in the round of 16.
Rune, the top seed and ranked seventh in the world, will take on either second-seeded American Taylor Fritz or Dutch world number 29 Botic van de Zandschulp in the final on Sunday.
On Friday, Rune coasted into the semifinals with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Chilean Cristian Garin.
Rune was through to his fourth semifinal appearance of the year.
"Today was tricky, especially in the second set," Rune said.
"There were some nerves as you might have seen, but it was good. I am very happy with the win. I have played a lot of matches, so the body is maybe not ideal."
The Dane, the runner-up in Monte Carlo last week, broke Garin twice in the first set and twice more in the second set despite facing stiffer resistance from his 86th-ranked opponent.
O'Connell, ranked a lowly 82 in the world, had knocked out third seeded Alexander Zverev in the last 16.
He made the most of opening up the draw by seeing off Italian qualifier and 208th-ranked Flavio Cobolli of Italy 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-3.
Former US Open champion and three-time losing Grand Slam finalist Dominic Thiem completed his second-round match earlier on Friday, coming from behind to beat Swiss eighth seed Marc-Andrea Huesler 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.
However, his run was then ended later in the day when US second seed Taylor Fritz downed the Austrian 6-3, 6-4.
Fritz, who was also a semi-finalist in Monte Carlo last week, next takes on Dutch fourth seed Botic van de Zandschulp who knocked out Marcos Giron of the United States 7-6 (7/5), 6-3. -- AFP
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