Daily Times

HALLE, Germany: Superstar Roger Federer’s wait for a title grew longer after the Swiss player went down in three sets to Alexander Zverev, a German teenager, 6-7, 7-5, 3-6 in the semi-finals of the Gerry Webber Open in Halle.

Federer, who has not won a title since Basel in October last year, has won eight titles in Halle but his quest to make it nine ended in two hours and six minutes courtesy the 19-year-old star in the making who reached the third round of the French Open. Zverev in the process became the first teenager to beat Federer since the current World No 3 fell to Andy Murray at the Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati in 2006.

With solid serving carrying Zverev through in the first set, neither players were able to break the other to force a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Federer would give away a mini-break and earn it back but it wasn’t enough to take the set from the German. In the second set, after 10 straight games of no breaks, Federer would break at 5-5 to force a decider in Halle.

In the final set though it was all Zverev to break Federer and take a much needed 4-2 lead. From then on, Zverev would hold on later to set up his second final of the year. Zverev will face fellow rising youngster and French Open semifinalist Dominic Thiem or Florian Mayer on Sunday in the final.

With the loss, Federer has failed to reach the final in Halle for the first time in 11 straight appearances.