Zverev aims for third BMW Open title in Munich as Ruud and Opelka pose hurdles

The top seeded German will begin his campaign against the highly-touted Danish teen Holger Rune

Alexander Zverev (GER) at the BMW Open 2018 ATP Tour Munich – Final Image Credit: Imago / Panoramic

April 25, 2022

World No 3 Alexander Zverev will carry local hopes on his shoulders at the BMW Open in Munich this week as the German chases his third title at his home event. The BMW Open is one of the oldest on the ATP Tour, with the first edition being held way back in 1900.

Zverev won the Munich title in 2017 and 2018 but lost in the quarter-finals the last two times. As the top seed, he received a bye in the first round but has a tough second round draw, where he meets teen Holger Rune. The young Dane defeated 20-year-old rising Czech Jiri Lehecka in the first round on Monday.

Zverev, still searching for his first title of the season that has been marred by his outburst against a chair umpire in Acapulco earlier this year, has the No 6 seed Dan Evans as his projected quarter-final opponent. However, the Brit will have to get past American Maxime Cressy and then Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori in the second round.

American Reilly Opelka is seeded third in Zverev’s section and comes to Germany after picking up his second title of the season in Houston. The top-ranked American has fifth seed and 2019 Munich champion Cristian Grain as his projected quarter-final opponent.

Casper Ruud and Reilly Opelka join Zverev as the top seeds at the BMW Open

Norway’s Casper Ruud. who reached his first ATP Masters final in Miami, is seeded second in the draw and is slated to meet eighth seed Botic van de Zandschulp in the quarters and then fourth seed Nikoloz Basilashvili, the 2021 Munich champion, in the semi-finals of the BMW Open.

The Georgian has a diffficult parth to get there, with Mackenzie McDonald or Ilya Ivashka in the second round, and the rising Serb Miomir Kecmanovic in the quarters.

The BMW Open is an ATP 250 event and played on outdoor clay.