Federer to face Coric as he chases 99th title

Defending champion Roger Federer will play 21-year-old Borna Coric in the Gerry Weber Open final as he chases his 99th career singles title on Sunday in Halle, Germany.

Federer reached his 12th final in Halle after beating qualifier Denis Kudla 7-6 (1), 7-5 on Saturday.

Coric advanced after fourth-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut retired injured in their semifinal. The Spaniard was leading 3-2 in the first set.

Federer fired 12 aces and saved six of the seven break points he faced to end Kudla’s 10-set winning streak in Halle. The American had three break points when he was leading 4-3 in the second set, but Federer fought back and finished the set with two successive aces.

The 25-year-old Kudla had saved 20 of 21 break points on his way to the semifinals at the grasscourt tournament.

Federer, who saved two match points against Benoit Paire in the second round on Thursday, is going for a record-extending 10th title in Halle. It will be his second final in as many weeks.

DJOKOVIC IN FINAL

Novak Djokovic advanced to his first ATP tour final in almost a year by defeating Jeremy Chardy 7-6 (5), 6-4 at Queen’s Club.

The 12-time Grand Slam champion’s last final — and title — also came on a British grass court, when he defeated Gael Monfils in Eastbourne last July.

Djokovic will face Marin Cilic in Sunday’s final after the top-seeded Croat defeated Nick Kyrgios 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4).

In-form Chardy had won 12 of his previous 13 matches but the Frenchman was still left without a win — or even a set — against Djokovic after their 11th career meeting.

Chardy’s best chance came when the first set went to a tiebreaker, but a couple of loose shots allowed a frustrated Djokovic to take control.

The Serb, who has struggled this season after missing the second half of 2017 with an elbow injury, upped his level to earn the first break of the match for a 5-4 lead in the second set.

CAPTAIN MAURESMO

Former top-ranked Amelie Mauresmo will become the first woman to captain France’s Davis Cup men’s team when she replaces Yannick Noah next season.

“I’m obviously very proud of the trust put in me,” said Mauresmo, who has also coached Andy Murray.

The 38-year-old Frenchwoman is a two-time Grand Slam champion. She stepped down as France’s Fed Cup women’s team captain after the 2016 season when she announced she was expecting her second child.

Mauresmo, who won the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2006, was appointed on a two-season contract, the French federation said Saturday. Noah is currently in charge of both France’s Fed Cup and Davis Cup teams. Julien Benneteau will succeed the 1983 French Open champion as Fed Cup captain at the end of the season.

KVITOVA ADVANCES

Defending champion Petra Kvitova raced impressively into the Birmingham Classic final in England with a 6-3, 6-2 win against Mihaela Buzarnescu.

Fourth-seeded Kvitova outplayed one of the most improved players on the tour with strident groundstrokes and uninhibited net attacks.

The result earned Kvitova her 36th victory of the year.