Tennis Olympic champion Alexander Zverev has achieved the long-awaited success at the home tournament in Hamburg’s Rothenbaum.
The top German player defeated the Serb Laslo Djere 7:5, 6:3 in the final. The 26-year-old is the first German professional since Michael Stich in 1993 to win the ATP clay court event in the Hanseatic city, which is endowed with 1.832 million euros this year.
In front of 10,000 spectators in the first round, both players fought a good-class final at times. The world number 57. from Serbia demanded Zverev and missed four breakballs when the score was 4: 4. The Hamburger answered with pressure and ease. With praise he ensured the 7:5 set win after just over an hour.
In the second set, Zverev took the service game from his opponent when the score was 4: 3 and converted his first match point after 1:50 hours. After the first tournament success since the ATP final in 2021, he happily knelt down on the sand court of the Center Court in Hamburg. It was Zverev’s first tournament victory after his serious ankle injury at the French Open last year.
