Top stars like Alexander Zverev have a good mood at the tennis tournament BMW Open in Munich
Had this appointment Alexander Zverev completely forgotten. His working day on Monday took longer than expected. Because the first two games of the day each went over three sets. So it took the German tennis star to be. At shortly after half past nation, Zverev was finally finished He had confidently won his opening match of the BMW Open in Munich against Alexandre Muller. His partner Sophia Thomalla had been excessive in series one. After that, the player party should go together.
Zverev hadn’t even thought of that. He had been too focused on his first match. At least the mood is good, he said with a laugh. That has been in in recent years Munich Not always the case after he was often excreted early. But this time he started the start. « It was a good match from me and a good step in the right direction, » said Zverev when he was sitting at the press conference shortly before 8 p.m. on Monday. He looked tidy and much more optimistic than last. « I thought everything was fine today. I hope that I can take another step on Wednesday, » added the 27-year-old.
During his second appearance, Zverev meets Daniel Altmaier from Kempen again in the third match of the day. For Zverev it will continue to be about getting a good feeling on the clay court. The focus is clearly on preparation for the French Open in Paris in May. A tournament victory in Munich would help him in this way.
Zverev wants to pull with Kohlschreiber immediately
With three successes so far, Phillip Kohlschreiber is a record winner on the creation of iPhitos Munich. Zverev could do the same on Sunday if the final takes place on his 28th birthday. Until then, it still needs a lot of work. Zverev knows that, but was primarily pleased that its shape is ascending.
Ben Shelton from the USA could become his hardest competitor in Munich. The 22-year-old tortured a three-set victory on Monday. Shelton celebrated his success with a cheering gesture that was strongly reminiscent of Bavaria’s footballer Michael Olise. He held a finger at his head, the other in front of his mouth. Just like Olise. He was a big fan of this kicker, said Shelton afterwards. He was all the more pleased to have been to Dortmund for the first time in the Munich Arena on Saturday.
Angel clearly loses his first game
The atmosphere impressed him, said Shelton. « It was my first Bundesliga game. To be honest, it was the first professional football game ever that I saw in Europe, » said the American. Otherwise he hardly left his hotel room in the first days of the tournament. « A visit to the Bayern game was enough stimulation, » said the 22-year-old. But he wanted to go to eat at least once – probably a schnitzel somewhere. What Americans think is typically Bavarian.
Germany’s big tennis hope, on the other hand, experienced a sobering first time in Munich. Justin Engel lost 4: 6 and 1: 6 against the Hungarian Fabian Marozsan. The 17-year-old had received a wildcard for the tournament. Because tournament director Patrik Kühnen considers him to be the greatest hope of perspective in German men’s tennis. On Tuesday, Engel could not prove that in the second largest place in the Munich facility. In the first round he kept up well up to 4: 4, after which the Hungarian pulled away. Defending champion Jan-Lennard Struff has also left, he lost 0: 6, 2: 6 against Francisco Cerundolo.
