The Albany Gazette - 'Not really a match': Murray in final after Kyrgios 'racism' meltdown

Murray reached his 70th career final with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 win and will bid for his first title since Antwerp in 2019 when he plays Matteo Berrettini on Sunday.

Kyrgios was penalised a point and then a game for unsportsmanlike conduct to trail 1-0 after losing the opening set in 65 minutes.

He smashed a racquet and exchanged words with a group in the crowd.

The 27-year-old later claimed he was racially abused.

"When is this going to stop? Dealing with racist slurs from the crowd?" Kyrgios wrote on Instagram.

"I understand that my behaviour isn't the best all the time, but 'you little black sheep' 'shut up and play' - little comments like this are not acceptable.

"When I retaliate to the crowd I get penalised. This is messed up."

After the tournament supervisor was called, Kyrgios merely went through the motions on court as Murray took complete command to secure victory in 93 minutes.

"The second set was not much fun to play, it was not very competitive," Murray said.

"It wasn't really a match. He started well but closer to the end he got frustrated. The first set was tough and the end of the first set was the crucial part of the match.

"You expect things to happen against him, so I'm not surprised when they do.

"It was a very frustrating set for him to lose and he broke a racquet. He also had a back and forth with the umpire and something seemed to happen in the crowd.

"But I didn't really hear anything after the first set."

Berrettini reached his fourth career final on grass as he overcame German Oscar Otte 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/5).

The runner-up at Wimbledon last year is competing for the first time since March after undergoing hand surgery.

Berrettini will be seeking his first title since winning Queen's in London last June.

The world number 10 improved to 27-6 on grass and maintained a perfect 8-0 record in Stuttgart after winning the 2019 edition at the Weissenhof Club.

"It was really tough, but I'm very happy with the result," Berrettini said. "I play tennis for moments like this.".

"Since I was a teenager, many of my matches have been close ones. I'm used to them - I like it when the tension is high, I enjoy it even more.

"I had my operation a few months ago and now I'm back in a final. It feels even better - but the job is not done yet."

(A.Lehmann--BBZ)