Zverev, Chung have easy outings in quarterfinals
berlin — Top seed Alexander Zverev had to contend with a crying baby on Friday before setting up a semifinal clash against South Korea’s Hyeon Chung at the Munich ATP tournament.
The 21-year-old Zverev, ranked third in the world, needed just over an hour to beat German compatriot Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-2 in his quarterfinal match.
However, a crying infant briefly distracted Zverev between serves on his second match point before the defending champion wrapped up his 19th match win this year with a second-serve ace.
“I’m glad I didn’t have to go to three sets again,” said Zverev who had to go the distance to beat Struff in Monaco this year and Munich in 2017.
Zverev will be chasing his first win over Chung after defeats last year in Barcelona and in the third round of the Australian Open.
Chung, who reached the Australian PRAGUE — Petra Kvitova moved a step closer to winning a second title of the year when she beat China’s Zhang Shuai 7-6(6) 6-0 in the semifinals of the Prague Open on Friday. The Czech, who is competing in her home tournament for the first time, faces Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu in Saturday’s final. Zhang held her own in an evenly contested first set against twotimes Wimbledon champion Kvitova, and even led 5-1 in the tiebreak before her 28-year-old opponent settled into her stride. Open semifinals, had few problems as he beat 2014 Munich winner Martin Klizan 6-3, 6-4. —
Kvitova ousts Zhang, meets Buzarnescu in final
Kvitova struck three winners as she roared back to claim the set and shatter Zhang’s confidence. The second seed wrapped up the match in an hour an 18 minutes, sealing victory with a nearflawless second set in which she struck 15 winners and made three unforced errors. Kvitova, who is vying for her second title of the year after winning the St Petersburg Ladies Trophy in February, will take on seventh-seed Buzarnescu, who came back to beat Italy’s Camila Giorgi 4-6 6-3 7-5 in the other semifinal. —