Zverev, the second seed, had rallied from a set and a break down to prevail in his quarter-final clash with Filip Krajinovic on Friday, keeping him on course for a second ATP Tour title in 2019.
However, the German failed to be so ruthless against Basilashvili in their last-four clash, allowing his Georgian opponent to save two match points in the third set before also recovering from 5-2 down in the deciding tie-break.
The missed opportunities proved costly for Zverev as Basilashvili eventually triumphed 6-4 4-6 7-6 (7-5) after just over three hours on court in Hamburg.
“I guess it was a nice atmosphere and it was good for the crowd, but now he is in the final and I lost, so it’s not the nicest feeling in the world,” Zverev said after the match.
Basilashvili will face Andrey Rublev in the final after the Russian overcame Spain’s Pablo Carreno-Busta 4-6 7-5 6-1 in the second semi-final.
It had been a tight contest across the first two sets, but Rublev stepped things up a notch in the third, taking his first-serve percentage to 77 and converting two out of his three break points.
At the Swiss Open Gstaad, Albert Ramos-Vinolas knocked out 2014 champion Pablo Andujar to reach the final.
The all-Spanish clash went the way of Ramos-Vinolas, who fought back from 5-3 down to take the first set on a tie-break and then prevailed in the second despite a break for rain when he required just two points for victory.
The 31-year-old will hope to clinch his second title on the ATP Tour, following his success in Bastad three years ago, when he faces Cedrik-Marcel Stebe.
Stebe had defeated Italian Thomas Fabbiano early on Saturday in their delayed quarter-final, and then also beat Joao Sousa 3-6 6-1 6-2 to secure a shot at the title in his first ATP Tour final.
0 votes
