Andrey Rublev is the only seed remaining in the Halle field, and he will continue his title bid when he meets Nikoloz Basilashvili on Saturday. The other semifinal pits Felix Auger-Aliassime against Ugo Humbert.
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Ugo Humbert
Auger-Aliassime and Humbert will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers, for the third time on grass, and for the second time in as many weeks when they collide again in the Noventi Open semifinals on Saturday. They just met in the Stuttgart quarters last Friday, when Auger-Aliassime prevailed 7-6(5), 7-6(8) on his way to another runner-up performance (the 21-year-old Canadian is now 0-8 lifetime in ATP finals). He has gotten right back in gear to beat Hubert Hurkacz, Roger Federer, and Marcos Giron so far in Halle.
Having won his last four sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, and 6-2, Auger-Aliassime is supremely confident right now. He has not been pushed to a tiebreaker in Halle and has dropped only one set to Federer. Humbert, on the other hand, has battled through three consecutive three-setters against Sam Querrey, Alexander Zverev, and Sebastian Korda. Based on current form and last week’s result, the edge goes to Auger-Aliassime. But it should be another competitive, high-quality contest.
Pick: Auger-Aliassime in 3
(4) Andrey Rublev vs. (Q) Nikoloz Basilashvili
Rublev and Basilashvili will be squaring off for the fifth time in their careers on Saturday with the head-to-head series tied 2-2. Since Basilashvili took five of their first six sets, however, the tide has turned. Rublev came back from a set down to prevail 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2 at the 2019 Cincinnati Masters before getting the job done 6-2, 6-3 on the indoor hard courts of Rotterdam in 2020. They have never faced each other on grass.
Basilashvili surely has no interest in running into Rublev at a 500-point tournament. From the end of 2020 (Hamburg, Vienna, and St. Petersburg) through start of 2021 (Rotterdam), Rublev won four such tournaments in a row. The in-form Russian has another title on his mind following Halle victories over Karen Khachanov, Jordan Thompson, and Philipp Kohlschreiber. Basilashvili booked a spot in the semis by taking out Gilles Simon, Arthur Rinderknech, and Lloyd Harris. But this is a steep step up in competition against Rublev, who has not yet dropped a set this week.
Pick: Rublev in 2
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FAA & Rublev both in 2
Watched Humbert edge FAA. Great match and both fun players to watch. Humbert will be a lot for Rublev to handle in the final.
Ugo is a creative shot-maker and such a talent. I would not have picked him over FAA, but Hugo Humbert made it. So Halle has a very interesting final with Andrey Rublev v Ugo Humbert. Straight up it might be dumb to pick Ugo, but I will be cheering the Frenchman on because of his shotmaking ability.
Humbert is a typical French player who is amazing shotmaker and when on form , you go out of your way to watch them. Great game for grass and Ill be rooting for him . Head says Rublev in three though