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Zverev recovers to sink Griekspoor and secure Munich Open semi-final spot

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6 daysTennis

Alexander Zverev booked his place in the Munich Open semi-finals, after coming from behind to deny Tallon Griekspoor.

The top seed lost the opening set, while his opponent also served for the match, but he recovered to prevail 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 and set up a last-four clash with either Zizou Bergs or Fabian Marozsan.

Nothing could separate the players during the first set, which went to the wire with Griekspoor subsequently winning the tie-break.

The Dutchman had ended his five-match losing streak against Zverev at Indian Wells last month, and looked set make it back-to-back wins when he broke early in the second set on the way to a 5-4 lead.

However, despite serving for the match, Griekspoor was broken back to 15 by the German, who then controlled the tie-break to level.

A break in game seven of the decider proved crucial for Zverev. Though his opponent saved three match points to hold at 5-4, the three-time major finalist comfortably held in the next game to get over the line.

"Finally, I won a close one," he said. "I've lost a few of those in the past few months and I always said: 'I need to get one of these'. I did today.

"I'm extremely happy with how I hung in there, especially in the third set, being 0-40 down in my second service game. I'm proud to win this match and looking forward to the next two, hopefully."

Ben Shelton joins Zverev in the semi-finals after the second seed defeated Luciano Darderi 6-4 6-3.

The American, who hit seven aces to his opponent's one, broke in the final game of the opening set, and immediately cancelled out Darderi's break early in the second.

Shelton broke again at the next attempt for a 4-2 lead, before holding out to seal victory and will face Francisco Cherundolo in the final four.

Data Debrief: Zverev finds his edge

Zverev is bidding to equal his countryman Philipp Kohlschreiber's record tally of three Munich titles, but had to survive a scare to do so.

Both Zverev and Griekspoor tallied 37 winners in another topsy-turvy meeting between the two, but the German was able to increase his head-to-head advantage to 7-2.

He is into a fourth semi-final in Munich, with Zizou Bergs or Fabian Marozsan standing between him and a place in the showpiece.