Zverev knocks out veteran Haas in Stuttgart
June 16, 2017
Mischa Zverev ended the Mercedes Cup run of German compatriot Tommy Haas as the sixth seed prevailed 6-4 6-4 against the popular veteran in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Haas was making what was likely his final appearance at the Weissenhof club, where he reached the final in 1999.
The 39-year-old was fresh from an upset 48 hours earlier of top seed Roger Federer on the grass.
"By and large, it has been a nice week here," number 302 Haas said.
Haas, the oldest player to reach an ATP quarterfinal since Jimmy Connors in 1995, added: "Actually, I'm on a good path. It's going in the right direction. But no sportsman likes to lose."
Zverev, who will move to a career-best 29th in the rankings, will face off in the semi-finals against Feliciano Lopez after the Spaniard hammered 19 aces and saved all nine break points he faced to upset third seed Tomas Berdych 7-6 (4-7), 6-3, 6-4.
"He's a great grass player with a totally different game as a lefty," Zverev said after reaching his first Stuttgart semi. "The match will be different, but we will see."
French fourth seed Lucas Pouille held off a fightback attempt from German Philipp Kohlschreiber to earn a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 trip to the final four. Kohlschreiber finished runner-up in 2013 and a year ago against Dominic Thiem.
mds (Reuters/AFP)