German Open: Defending champion Leonardo Mayer saves match point to set up final against qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili

Leonardo Mayer hits a backhand during his semi-final against Josef Kovalik. AP[/caption]Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia will face Mayer in his first ATP final after winning a semi-final lasting nearly four hours.Mayer beat Slovak qualifier Jozek Kovalik 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (7) in their nearly three-hour semi.Mayer had the only break of serve in the match early in the second set.Kovalik had match point at 6-5 in the deciding tiebreaker but took a deep return from Mayer and netted a forehand. Mayer prevailed five points later.His only two ATP titles were won on the same Hamburg clay in 2014 and 2017.In the final he meets another qualifier, Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia.Basilashvili beat Nicolas Jarry of Chile 7-5, 0-6, 6-1 a day after Jarry toppled top-seeded Dominic Thiem.