MUNICH — In an electrifying showdown, top seed Alexander Zverev triumphed over second seed Ben Shelton with a score of 6-2, 6-4, capturing his third Munich title on Sunday.
This victory marks the first title of the season for the powerful German, bringing his total ATP tour titles to 24. Zverev previously clinched the clay-court event in 2017 and 2018, showcasing his prowess on this surface.
“Winning tournaments in Germany holds a special place in my heart,” Zverev expressed, celebrating his 28th birthday in style. “This definitely makes for an incredible birthday gift!”
Shelton, competing in his fourth career final and second on clay after his Houston triumph last year, demonstrated promise throughout the match.
Under the bright sun at the BMW Open, Zverev served brilliantly, clinching match point with a perfectly executed sliced backhand volley that left Shelton unable to respond.
The clinching moment came with a precise backhand volley at the net, wrapping up a stellar match by Zverev, who faced no break points at all throughout the contest.
This victory propels Zverev closer to reclaiming the second spot in the ATP rankings.
To maintain his lead in the rankings, four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz — who secured victory over Zverev in last year’s French Open final — needed to win the Barcelona Open final later that Sunday against Holger Rune.
