Novak Djokovic

The Serb, who amassed a staggering with 21 unforced errors in the first set alone, surrendered a 4-1 before missing three set points at 5-4 while Rochus carved out two for himself in the tiebreak. Second seed Djokovic, who will play in his second grass court final after his final defeat to Rafael Nadal in Queen’s last year, kept his composure to clinch it on his fourth set point when Rochus, ranked 136th, misjudged a backhand.

Rochus was broken at 2-2 in the second when Djokovic’s baseline approach began to get the better of the Belgian. Rochas refused to give up however and earned a break point at 4-3 before the Serb’s thumping serve gave him a 5-3 lead. The 22-year-old went on to serve out the match two games later on his third match point.




“I had to work hard for all my points especially on his serve. You can see Olivier likes to play on fast surfaces,” said Djokovic. “On paper I am the favourite. But you don’t want to put pressure on yourself as favourite because Tommy has played some great matches here.” Former world number two Haas was also given a stern test in his semi-final against Kohlschreiber after coming back from a set down to win 2-6 7-6 7-6.

Kohlschreiber, who beat Haas at Halle last year the only other meeting ever between the compatriots, broke twice in the first set to go 5-2 up and then fired two aces to clinch it. Both players held serve in the second to trigger a tiebreak with 31-year-old Haas getting the better of his world number 24 opponent. Haas fought back from 4-1 and 5-2 down in the third to force another tiebreak and won it on his third match point with an ace.






The German missed most of 2008 with a shoulder injury but the world number 41 has reached his first final in more than two years and regardless of the final result, can arrive in England with realistic hopes of making an impression after being rejuvenated in his homeland. The 31-year-old also defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the second round and can enter the final on Sunday with genuine belief that he can conjure up his second top 10 scalp of the tournament.

He continues his good form after his best showing for seven years at last week’s French Open in when he reached the fourth round and took eventual champion Roger Federer to five sets in one of the games of the tournament. It will be Haas’s first final on the ATP Tour since Memphis in 2007 and win or lose, he warrants recognition as a potential giant killer for the up-coming Grand Slam in England.