Zverev Advances in BMW Open, Shelton Makes History

Munich, Germany — Alexander Zverev continues his pursuit of a third consecutive title at the BMW Open by Bitpanda, defeating fellow German Daniel Altmaier in dominating fashion on Wednesday. Zverev, the tournament’s top seed, won 6-3, 6-2, extending his streak of dropped games to just ten across his first two matches.

The match lasted 80 minutes, with Zverev converting four of his six break-point chances. “Just the win [made me happy],” said Zverev. “He makes it complicated. He has beaten lots of top players before. He knows how to make it extremely complicated for the top guys, where we feel like we’re not feeling the ball well. So I’m extremely happy with the win and looking forward to the next match.”

The 25-year-old Zverev, currently ranked No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings, is looking to equal the record of three titles in Munich, having previously claimed victory in 2017 and 2018. Zverev expressed relief at winning consecutive matches in the tournament for the first time since his title run in 2018. “They were completely different matches,” he noted, reflecting on his earlier rounds.

Following a challenging few months, Zverev is rallying back from a 6-6 record since reaching a final earlier this season. He anticipates a strong quarter-final match against his next opponent, who made it to this stage after defeating a wildcard entry.

Meanwhile, second seed Ben Shelton also secured his spot in the quarter-finals, having delivered a powerful performance against Robin Haase, winning 7-6(1), 6-3. Shelton, who saved three match points in his first-round match, won an impressive 83 percent of his service points, recording his second tour-level quarter-final appearance on clay.

At just 22 years old, Shelton has now made history as the youngest American quarter-finalist in Munich since Andre Agassi achieved the same feat at age 19 in 1990. “Being in the quarter-finals is a huge achievement for me,” said Shelton. “I’ve worked hard to get here, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity ahead.”

In action for the tournament on Thursday, fourth seed Ugo Humbert and fifth seed Francisco Cerundolo are set to compete, with quarter-final spots at stake. The matches are scheduled to commence at 11:00 a.m. local time at the Iphitos Tennis Club.

The BMW Open has attracted significant interest this year following its elevation to an ATP 500 event, with fans keen to see how the remaining matches unfold.