Alexander Bubik handed Alexander Zverev a painful home loss as the Kazakh reached the final of the ATP Halle event on Saturday 6-3, 7-5.
Bublik will play in his first career final at the 500 series level on Sunday after outwitting the German, twice a finalist on the local grass.
Bublik sent over 14 aces as he mixed tactics,profitting from an array of drop shots and the occasional abbreviated court position while receiving serve.
“The job is not finished,” the No. 33 winner said. “I’m happy to reach the final but I want to stay focused and try to play my game.
“Playing Sascha is tough, I was lucky in the critical moments and I served well”
Bublik has now won three of four matches against Zverev; he reached the eighth final of his career and will be trying to win his first on the grass after a pair of defeats in Newport, US.
Zverev has been defeated in four semi-finals this season, ending with 18 winners and eight unforced errors.
Bublik went up an early break in the opening set and never allowed Zverev back in the second in a victory lasting 86 minutes.
“Against a top player you have to have all of your weapons working,” the winner said. “Everything was working for me today.
“I’m playing well but I want to maintain this momentum.”
