Tennis: Rain washes out on-off Stuttgart final

Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany in action against Dominic Thiem of Austria during their final match at the ATP tennis tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, on June 12, 2016. PHOTO: EPA

STUTTGART, Germany (AFP) - Rain washed out the Stuttgart grasscourt final on Sunday (June 12), with German Philipp Kohlschreiber leading Dominic Thiem 3-2 in a first-set tiebreaker when play was halted for the day.

The match was sent off court in early evening, with just 50 minutes of cumulative playing time since the intended start more than six and a half hours earlier.

Thiem and Kohlschreiber will resume action on Monday.

The final is a re-run of the Munich final of six weeks ago, won by Kohlschreiber during a week when April snow fell on matches in the Bavarian capital.

Thiem, who moved into the ATP top 10 this week after a French Open semi-final performance, owns three titles in 2016 - winning Buenos Aires, Acapulco and Nice.

The 22-year-old, who saved two match points as he knocked out Roger Federer in the quarter-finals, is bidding to become the first man this season to claim trophies on three different surfaces (clay, hardcourt and now grass).

Thiem has never beaten Kohlschreiber, also losing to him in a Kitzbuehel semi-final last summer on clay.

The Stuttgart tournament switched to grass last season under the supervision of All England Club groundsmen in order to join the expanded three-week build-up to Wimbledon.

Rafael Nadal won the inaugural title.

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