Zverev eases past Ymer to set up Bublik final in Montpellier

The top seed is seeking a 20th tour-level title and has yet to drop a set in his three matches in Montpellier after beating Bublik 6-1 6-3.

Ymer eliminated Gael Monfils and Richard Gasquet en route to the semi-finals, but the world number 83 struggled against Zverev in his third straight loss to the German.

Zverev was triumphant in his last appearance in this tournament five years ago and is the strong favourite heading into Sunday's final with Bublik.

"I am in the final and I am happy about that," Zverev said in his on-court interview. "I played a pretty good match. I think I played one bad game in the whole match.

"Overall I am happy to be in another final, playing against Alex who I have known since I was 12 years old, so hopefully it will be a fun match."

Bublik also claimed a routine win in his semi-final against Filip Krajinovic, the sixth seed prevailing 6-4 6-2 in a little over an hour.

The 24-year-old is through to his fifth ATP Tour final, having most recently gone all the way at the Singapore Open last February, where he lost to Alexei Popyrin.

It's Alex versus Alex for the @OpenSuddeFrance final #OSDF22 pic.twitter.com/Sph20hLl7n

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 5, 2022

At the Tata Open Maharashtra, Mikael's older brother Elias Ymer squandered three match points to lose 5-7 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 to Joao Sousa in Pune.

The Swedish qualifier had defied the odds to make it to the semi-finals and took the opening set against Sousa, before recovering from 4-1 down to level up the second set 4-4.

But Sousa edged the tie-break and survived three match points in the 10th game of the deciding set, which he would go on to win.

Sousa will face Emil Ruusuvuori in Sunday's final after the world number 87 overcame Kamil Majchrzak 6-3 7-6 (7-0) earlier in the day.