Gerry Weber Open 2015: Saturday Tennis Scores, Results and Finals Schedule
Roger Federer and Andreas Seppi will meet in the final of the 2015 Gerry Weber Open on Sunday in only their second meeting since the Italian shocked the world by beating the Swiss star at the Australian Open.
Federer got his revenge at the Indian Wells Masters and will like his chances in Halle, Germany, after surviving two tie-breaks against Ivo Karlovic in Saturday's semi-final. Seppi took advantage of an injury to Kei Nishikori to advance, having qualified for the semi-finals in similar fashion, thanks to a retirement by Gael Monfils.
For the full schedule of the 2015 Gerry Weber Open, click here.
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Roger Federer defeats Ivo Karlovic: 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4)
Federer qualified for his 10th final in Halle on Saturday, according to ESPN.co.uk, twice besting Karlovic in a tie-break to negate the latter's excellent serving form.
The tall Croat finished the match with 20 aces and didn't give Federer a single break chance, but the veteran didn't let that faze him, as he patiently waited for his chances and stepped up when he needed to.
Before the match, the New York Times' Ben Rothenberg noted Karlovic has become a more aggressive player over the years, something that suits him well on the European grass courts:
The Croat surrendered just five points during the first set, but a marvelous passing shot gave Federer the lead in the tie-break, and the Swiss star carried that advantage to a win in the first set.
Per Rothenberg, Karlovic's serve was once again clicking:
Karlovic came close to breaking Federer's serve in the fourth game of the second set—the only break chance either player would get. After the Croat failed to capitalise, Federer once again took his chances in the tie-break to win the match.
Federer was in a great mood after the win, joking with reporters during his post-match press conference, per FedererLive:
The 33-year-old has played his best tennis on grass the past few seasons, winning his last Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 2012. He's only ever lost two matches in Halle during his career, and he should be considered the favourite for Sunday's final.
His serve appears to be clicking at just the right time, and with Wimbledon right around the corner, Federer once again looks like the early favourite to win it all at the All England Club.
Andreas Seppi defeats Kei Nishikori: 4-1 (retired)
Seppi once again advanced at the Gerry Weber Open thanks to an injury to his opponent, as Nishikori was forced to retire from their match after limping around the court for five games. Monfils suffered a similar fate in the quarter-finals, and per Rothenberg, Seppi has only played 13 games over the course of those two rounds.
MailOnline's Stuart Fraser reports Nishikori's retirement isn't just good news for Seppi, but also for Stan Wawrinka:
Nishikori visibly struggled with an injury to his leg coming into the match, but with a fourth seed at Wimbledon on the line, he tried to make the best out of a poor situation. With most of his leg covered in tape, it quickly became clear he simply couldn't move well enough to keep up with Seppi, who smartly used the full width of the court.
The Japanese star has one week to recover before the start of Wimbledon, while Seppi will enter the final in Halle with fresh legs but little match rhythm. A victory over Federer would give him the biggest title of his career, but Seppi isn't a grass specialist and could be in for a tough afternoon against an in-form Federer.
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