Krawietz/Tecau Reach Halle Final
Third seeds Kevin Krawietz and Horia Tecau overcame sixth seeds Joran Vliegen and Sander Gille 7-6(6), 7-5 to reach the final of the NOVENTI OPEN on Friday in Halle.
Last week’s Roland Garros quarter-finalists (l. to Cabal/Farah), saved a set point in the opener and won 93 per cent (39/42) of their first-service points to advance in 89 minutes.
The German-Romanian tandem could face fifth seeds Michael Venus and Tim Puetz in the final after they defeated Americans Sam Querrey and Austin Krajicek 6-3, 6-4 in the quarter-finals. They will play Felix Auger-Aliassime and Hubert Hurkacz in the semi-finals.
Venus and Puetz hit eight aces and saved all three break points they faced to advance. It is the first time the team has played together this year, with Puetz winning titles at the Open Parc Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Lyon and the Millennium Estoril Open with partner Hugo Nys.
Last year’s Rolex Paris Masters champions Auger-Aliassime and Hurkacz eased past Lloyd Harris and Jonathan Erlich 6-3, 6-4 in 73 minutes.
The pair stormed into a 4-1 lead in the opening set and closed it out as they won 77 per cent (17/22) of their first-service points in the first set. They then raced through the final set to advance.
Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut’s match against Marcus Daniell and Philipp Oswald was cancelled at the cinch Championships due to rain in London.