Photo credit: BMW Open Facebook
Alexander Zverev unwrapped a birthday bash in Munich.
Celebrating his 28th birthday, Zverev pumped up the party powering past Ben Shelton 6-2, 6-4 to collect his 24th career championship— including his third Munich crown—before appreciative home fans.
The 2017-18 champion Zverev joins compatriot Philipp Kohlschreiber (2007, 2012, 2016) as the third man in Open Era history to win three Munich championships.
This title run propels Zverev past Carlos Alcaraz, who fell to Holger Rune 7-6, 6-2, in the Barcelona final, back to the world No. 2 ranking in the ATP live rankings.
Breaking to open both sets, Zverev never trailed, commanding the red clay in sweeping Shelton for his ninth career clay-court crown.
Australian Open finalist Zverev was nearly untouchable on serve and his sometime spinny forehand was a formidable force challenging the left-handed American’s backhand.
The top-seeded German served 77 percent, won 33 of 37 first-serve points and did not face a single break point in a confident 70-minute victory.
t is Zverev’s first title since he won the 2024 Paris Masters last November and his first clay-court championship since he won Rome last May.
Home soil inspired Zverev, who surrendered just one set in five tournament victories defeating Alexandre Muller, Daniel Altmaier, Tallon Griekspoor, Fabian Marozsan and Shelton for the second time in as many meetings.
It was a terrific dirt run for Shelton, who saved three match points edging Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo 4-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(6) in a two hour, 23-minute battle to open the tournament.
The 2024 Houston champion Shelton became the first American man to reach a clay final above the ATP 250 level since Hall of Famer Andre Agassi won the 2002 ATP Masters 1000 Rome.
Today, Shelton ran into a buzz saw in 2024 Roland Garros runner-up Zverev, whose clay-court game is more refined than the 22-year-old American.
The first Munich final between the two top seeds in 15 years saw Zverev draw first-break blood in the opening game—signalling the stress he’d apply throughout the day.
Zverev held at 30 to go up 5-2. Though Shelton had great success playing his crackling left-handed forehand to right-handed opponents’ bachands throughout the week, Zverev possesses one of the most potent two-handers in tennis and tormented Shelton with it.
Setting the tone with his heavy first serve, Zverev was hitting his weaker forehand wing with depth and ambition from the start.
The combination of that stinging serve and the 6’6” German’s quickness around the red clay suffocated Shelton.
Deploying the dropper proved painful for Shelton in the seventh game. The left-hander serve and volleyed, but his drop volley attempt wasn’t good enough. Zverev ran down another forehand drop shot and flicked a forehand down the line. When Shelton spit up his second double fault, Zverev snatched the double-break lead for 5-2.
Displacing Shelton with the wide serve to open the court, Zverev snapped an acute-angled crosscourt backhand to seal the first set with his first love hold of the final.
The top seed served 83 percent and won 16 of 19 first-serve points in the 29-minute opening set.
Running down another dropper, Zverev shoveled a forehand reply down the line for a break point. When Shelton sailed a forehand, Zverev broke to start the second set.
The 2021 Olympic gold-medal champion cruised through a love hold for a 6-2, 2-0 lead.
