Rublev sets up showdown with Tsitsipas for Hamburg title

Russia's Andrey Rublev reached his third final this year with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Norway's Casper Ruud on Saturday at Hamburg's ATP tournament to set up a showdown with Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The 22-year-old Rublev, ranked 14th in the world and fifth seed in Hamburg, earned his 24th match win this year in just 85 minutes of his semifinal.

Only world number one Novak Djokovic, whose record is 31-1, has won more this season.

Rublev, beaten in last year's final by Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili, will on Sunday meet second-seed Tsitsipas, who beat Chile's Cristian Garin 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in the other semifinal.

"It's the first time I have reached the final at the same tournament for two years in a row -- it's a special tournament for me," said Rublev courtside.

Rublev started 2020 by winning his first two tournaments in Doha and Adelaide.