After a challenging start to the season, Alexander Zverev has found his stride, reaching the final of the Munich Open, an ATP 500 event. Zverev defeated Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan to advance and will face American rising star Ben Shelton on Sunday in pursuit of his first title of 2025 and his third career Munich Open championship.
This marks a significant turnaround for Zverev, who lost the Australian Open final to Jannik Sinner and struggled in subsequent tournaments. With a win in Munich and a loss by Carlos Alcaraz to Holger Rune in the Barcelona Open final, Zverev could reclaim the World No. 2 spot in the ATP rankings.
Following his semifinal victory, Zverev expressed his satisfaction with his performance in his home country. “It’s awesome, the entire week has been amazing,” Zverev said.
He added that, despite a brief lapse in focus on his serve during the first set, he felt positive about his overall play. “I thought I played quite a good match,” he continued.
Alexander Zverev of Germany smiles after winning his semi-final match against Fabian Marozsan of Hungary. (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images for BMW)
“I lost focus once in the first set on my serve, but apart from that I thought it was a good match. I thought Fabian played extremely well, and I’m just happy to be in the final,” Zverev added.
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Zverev on Munich Open’s ATP 500 status
The Munich Open, a historic clay court tournament in Germany dating back to 1974, underwent a major upgrade this year, transitioning from an ATP 250 event to an ATP 500.
Zverev highlighted how the tournament’s elevated status has enhanced the experience for both players and fans, expressing his enthusiasm for Sunday’s final. “The spectators have been really enjoying the weather, the new center court, and the new tournament,” Zverev noted. “I’m enjoying it myself, and hopefully I can have another great day tomorrow”.
The battle for World No. 2 in the ATP rankings
In addition to chasing his third Munich Open title, Zverev has a chance to reclaim the World No. 2 ranking if Alcaraz falls short in the Barcelona Open final against Rune.
The fight for the No. 2 spot carries significant implications. The higher-ranked player would avoid a potential matchup with World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the early rounds of next month’s French Open, with any showdown delayed until the championship match.
