Taylor Fritz fought back to defeat a physically distressed Alexander Zverev 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-5 in the Halle semi-finals, recording his seventh consecutive victory over the world No.3 and ending the German’s 10-match winning streak. The American, who now leads their head-to-head 10-5, advanced to an all-American final against Frances Tiafoe. It is the first time since Mardy Fish in 2004 that two US players will contest the Halle title match.

The contest pivoted on Zverev’s struggle with the 35-degree heat. After breaking early for a 2-1 lead, the German lost 13 straight points and, at 4-3 and 40-40 on Fritz’s serve, briefly left the court for a medical timeout. He returned to take the opening set in a tiebreak, but his physical condition deteriorated. Reporters at courtside observed him repeatedly bending forward, hands on knees, and using a towel—an unusual gesture for the top seed. He required further treatment after the first set and again in the third, when organisers granted both players a 10-minute cooling break in the shade.

Fritz, by contrast, remained composed. He struck 19 aces and won 87 percent of his first-serve points, absorbing Zverev’s pace and waiting for his openings. The American broke serve in the 10th game of the second set to level the match, then replicated the feat at 5-5 in the decider, closing out the win on his second match point when Zverev netted a forehand. “I felt he was struggling with something—maybe the heat,” Fritz said afterwards. “I felt I was in better shape, so that’s what I told myself: keep pressing.”

The defeat punctures Zverev’s post–Roland Garros momentum. Having clinched his first Grand Slam title in Paris earlier this month, the 29-year-old had spoken of relishing warm conditions, but the sustained intensity of the afternoon proved too much. Analysts in the German press noted the distress in Zverev’s player box, where his grandmother Natalia Fateeva was seen offering supportive gestures, including a clenched fist reminiscent of Boris Becker.

Fritz’s victory lifts him two places to No.7 in the live rankings and extends his impressive grass-court run—all of his last three tour titles have come on the surface. He will now contest his fifth ATP 500 final against Tiafoe, who dismissed wild card Daniel Altmaier 6-1, 6-3. Both men will carry American hopes into Wimbledon, which begins on 29 June, while Zverev must quickly regroup for the grass-court major.