Alexander Zverev suffered the next setback on his way back to the top tennis world and lost his opening game at the Munich ATP tournament.
On his 26th birthday, the Olympic champion lost to the much worse placed Australian Christopher O’Connell 6:7 (2:7) 4:6. The number 82 in the world converted her first match point after 1:56 hours. As in the previous year, Zverev had to end the bitter knockout. accept in the round of sixteen.
In cool temperatures of around five degrees Celsius, Zverev got off to a real cold start and gave up his serve early. With the support of the spectators on the packed center court, the native of Hamburg fought his way into the tie-break. Too many slight volley errors in the crucial phases eventually cost him the set.
Zverev too passive
Confused by the deficit, Zverev acted far too passively in the second round. The hamburger kept making mistakes with his weaker forehand. The cheers from the German fans didn’t help.
With that, all Germans are eliminated. Last year’s semi-finalist Oscar Otte from Cologne lost surprisingly against the Italian Flavio Cobolli 0: 6, 6: 3, 3: 6. Daniel Altmaier was beaten by the Russian Aslan Karazew 6:4, 6:7 (2:7), 2:6. Only the 3: 6, 4: 6 of Yannick Hanfmann against the top seed and world ranking seventh Holger Rune from Denmark was expected.