De Minaur beats Zverev in Vienna semifinal to boost ATP Finals bid

Alex de Minaur defeated Alexander Zverev 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7-4) in Vienna on Saturday to reach the Erste Bank Open final. Sportschau's match coverage confirmed the Australian's three-set victory, which came after Zverev recovered from losing the opening set to force a decider. Carlos Alcaraz will be De Minaur's opponent in the championship match.

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The semifinal turned on a closely contested final set and a tiebreak in which De Minaur had to wait for his third match point to finish. Sportschau reported that he double-faulted on his first opportunity. Zverev then saved the second with a strong serve before sending a forehand out on the next point.

Serving figures helped explain how De Minaur stayed competitive despite the lopsided second set. According to Sportschau, he won 81 percent of points behind his first serve, compared with Zverev's 68 percent. The Australian also used his defensive play to launch counterattacks during the longer exchanges, making it difficult for Zverev to sustain control.

The tournament's official report said the win was De Minaur's first against Zverev outside team competitions. It was his fifth victory overall in their meetings, with Zverev still holding a 9-5 advantage. The result also sent De Minaur into his fourth final of 2026 and kept him in contention for a third consecutive ATP Finals appearance.

According to the organisers, De Minaur moved above Rafael Jodar into ninth place in the live Race to Turin, putting him in position for the final qualifying berth. Qualification is not yet secured. Sunday's final offers another chance to improve his standing before the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Paris next week.

Alcaraz has won all six previous meetings with De Minaur, the tournament reported. Zverev, meanwhile, will begin next week as world No. 1 and has already qualified for the ATP Finals. His Vienna exit therefore ends his title challenge here without changing the confirmed ranking milestone that awaits him in Paris.