HALLE, Germany — Seven-time champion Roger Federer defeated big-serving Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4) to reach the Gerry Weber Open final for the 10th time on Saturday.
Both players held serve until Federer made a mini-break to go 4-3 up in the first tiebreaker. The Swiss did it again and won the first set on Karlovic's double-fault.
Federer saved the only break point he faced at 2-1 in the second.
Another mini-break put Federer 3-2 up in the second tiebreaker, but Karlovic answered for 3-3. Federer correctly challenged a call that would have put the eighth-seeded Croat ahead and secured another mini-break when Karlovic hit a return to the net.