HAMBURG (AFP) - Russia's Andrey Rublev reached his third final this year with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Norway's Casper Ruud on Saturday (Sept 26) at Hamburg's ATP tournament to set up a showdown with Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The 22-year-old Rublev, ranked 14th in the world and fifth seed in Hamburg, earned his 24th match win this year in just 85 minutes of his semi-final.

Only world number one Novak Djokovic, whose record is 31-1, has won more this season.

Rublev, beaten in last year's final by Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili, will on Sunday meet second-seed Tsitsipas, who beat Chile's Cristian Garin 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in the other semi-final.

"It's the first time I have reached the final at the same tournament for two years in a row - it's a special tournament for me," said Rublev courtside.

Rublev started 2020 by winning his first two tournaments in Doha and Adelaide.