All-German final in Munich as Haas beats Dodig

MUNICH, Germany (AFP) –

Germany’s Tommy Haas returns the ball during his ATP tennis BMW Open semi final match against Croatia’s Ivan Dodig in Munich, southern Germany, on May 4, 2013. Haas won the match 6-4, 6-3.

Veteran Tommy Haas rolled back the years on Saturday to enjoy a straight sets semi-final win over Croatia Ivan Dodig and set up an all-German final at the ATP clay-court tournament in Munich.

Haas, 35, needed just 89 minutes to claim a 6-4, 6-3 win over the 28-year-old Dodig and will now face either of his compatriots Daniel Brand or fourth-seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, who meet later, in Sunday’s final.

It will be the first all-German final on the ATP tour since 2011 in Halle and Haas is bidding to win the tournament for the first time on his tenth appearance in Munich having beaten sixth-seed Florian Mayer in the quarters.

Dodig had claimed the scalps of two seeds on his way to the final having beaten Croatia’s Marin Cilic, the third seed, and Alexandr Dolgopolov, the Ukrainian fifth-seed, but came unstuck against Haas.

Victory on Sunday would be Haas’ first tournament win since beating Roger Federer on grass at Halle last year as the German is enjoying an Indian Summer in his career having been world number two back in 2002.