Zverev Battles Past Hanfmann In Munich

Top seed Alexander Zverev recovered from a set down to defeat countryman Yannick Hanfmann 6-7(12), 6-4, 6-2 at the BMW Open by FWU on Wednesday.

“I am always happy to get a win like that,” reflected Zverev. “Obviously [Hanfmann] played one of the best matches of his life today, so I wish him all the best and I hope he is going to continue playing like this in the next few weeks.”

The defending champion appeared to be in danger of an early upset after Hanfmann converted his seventh set point in a marathon first-set tie-break, but Zverev put the disappointment of failing to convert two set points of his own behind him to secure victory. The 21-year-old German improves to 9-3 in the Bavarian capital and will bid for a tenth victory at the event against Jan-Lennard Struff.

“It was great,” said Zverev. “I love playing in Germany as everybody knows. I love playing in front of my home crowd.”

Zverev leads Struff 3-0 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, most recently defeating his compatriot in three sets at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters last month.

Australian Open semi-finalist Hyeon Chung cruised into the BMW Open by FWU quarter-finals on Wednesday, defeating Munich native Matthias Bachinger 6-1, 6-1.

Chung, who broke into the Top 20 of the ATP Rankings for the first time on 2 April, lost only three first-service points in the 58-minute clash to record his 19th win of the season. The 22-year-old also saved all five break points he faced and converted five of his seven break opportunities in his first appearance since losing to eventual champion John Isner at the Miami Open presented by Itaú.

The inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals winner will face 2014 champion Martin Klizan for an opportunity to equal his 2017 debut result at the event (l. to Pella).

Slovakian qualifier Klizan recovered from a 0-3 deficit in the deciding set to beat Mirza Basic of Bosnia & Herzegovina 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in two hours and three minutes. It was his ninth win in 10 matches at the ATP World Tour 250 tournament.

Jan-Lennard Struff won his all-German encounter with Yannick Maden 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. The World No. 62 hit 12 aces in the one-hour, 40-minute win to improve to 8-4 at the event. Struff won six matches from qualifying in 2014, before falling to Italy’s Fabio Fognini in the semi-finals.

Did You Know?
This will be the second consecutive year that Alexander Zverev and Jan-Lennard Struff have met in the BMW Open by FWU quarter-finals. En route to the title last year, Zverev defeated Struff 3-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(5).