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World No. 1 to take on home favourite Otte in semi-finals
Daniil Medvedev appears to be unbreakable this week at the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle.

The World No. 1 was frequently pressured by Roberto Bautista Agut in the pair’s quarter-final clash on Thursday, but Medvedev was clinical in taking his chances on his way to a 6-2, 6-4 victory at the ATP 500 event.

The Medvedev serve once again proved a crucial weapon at key moments in the one-hour, 27-minute encounter on OWL Arena. A combination of power and accuracy with his delivery helped the top seed save nine from nine break points against the Spaniard, bringing his tournament total to 17 out of 17 break points saved across three matches.

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The win was Medvedev’s first against the Spaniard in four attempts. Bautista Agut was making his fourth quarter-final appearance in Halle and produced some high-class tennis as he bid to match his semi-final run from 2018, yet he was unable to convert his break point chances as Medvedev sent down a barrage of big serves to frequently dig himself out of trouble.

A high-quality start saw both players fend off a break point to hold in the early stages, but from 2-2 it was Medvedev who stepped up to take command. The World No. 1 reeled off four consecutive game to take the first set, striking the ball effectively off both wings to accumulate 14 winners to Bautista Agut’s 4.


Despite the disappointment of falling behind, the Spaniard appeared rejuvenated in the second set. He surged to 15/40 on the Medvedev serve in the second game with some top-quality all-court play, but could not find the finishing touch. He also missed out after leading 0/40 in the eighth game and was paid to pay by the World No. 1, who converted his sole break point of the set at 3-3 to claim a decisive break.

Medvedev will now chase a 25th tour-level championship match appearance in a semi-final clash against Oscar Otte, after the home favourite earlier defeated eighth seed Karen Khachanov, 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4.

Daniil Medvedev's impressive grass-court form continued on Saturday at the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle, where the top seed powered past home favourite Oscar Otte to reach his second consecutive ATP Tour final.

The World No. 1 fended off a set point when trailing 3-5 before clinching the opening set in a tie-break against World No. 51 Otte. A solitary break in the second set was enough to secure a 7-6(3), 6-3 semi-final victory in the pair’s first ATP Head2Head meeting. It is a second tour-level final for Medvedev in as many weeks on the grass, after he appeared in the championship match at the Libema Open in ‘s-Hertogenbosch just six days ago.

In Sunday’s final, Medvedev will face either fifth seed Hubert Hurkacz or wild card Nick Kyrgios as he chases the second grass-court title of his career.

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Medvedev had saved all 17 break points he faced across his opening three matches in Halle this week, and he was forced into further rear-guard actions by a fast start from Otte on OWL Arena. The World No. 1 once again found accuracy and power in his delivery to fend off two break points in the second and fourth games of the match, but his streak was finally ended after 22 consecutive break points saved when Otte's aggressive stroke play earned a break for 5-3.

The excited home crowd sensed another upset from World No. 51 Otte, who had already beaten Top 30 players Miomir Kecmanovic, Nikoloz Basilashvili and Karen Khachanov en route to the semi-finals on tournament debut in Halle. The nerves began to show for the German as he served for the set, however. A double-fault on set point at 40/30 proved costly as Medvedev held firm to reclaim the break before completing the turnaround with five points in a row from 2/3 in the tie-break.

Taking the lead appeared to free up the Medevedev game, and the 26-year-old was dominant in the second set as he began to find rhythm with his groundstrokes. A break in the sixth game was backed up by more relentlessly powerful serving as the World No. 1 wrapped up a one-hour, 37-minute victory.