ATP Munich: Tough competition for Zverev and Ruud
Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud will start the race as favorites at the ATP Tour 250 tournament in Munich. But there are more contenders for the MTTC Iphitos title. The Munich debutant Reilly Opelka , for example.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Apr 01, 2022, 10:14 am
A quick reminder that the corona pandemic is still not over: The player presentation for the BMW Open 2022, whose main draw matches will start on April 25th, took place again this year as part of a large video conference. Better safe than sorry, after all you want to play in front of spectators again at the MTTC Iphitos. Last year, only a few eyewitnesses were allowed to witness Nikoloz Basilashvili's final victory against Jan-Lennard Struff live and on site. Struff, which was announced on Friday, will also start in 2022.
In any case, it should be worthwhile for tennis fans to come in the last week of April: Alexander Zverev will serve in Munich almost traditionally. Tournament director Patrik Kühnen gave the then 16-year-old Zverev a first wildcard for an ATP tournament, and since then Zverev has been coming to the Bavarian capital with great pleasure. Where he won the title in 2017 and 2018, Zverev surprisingly had to admit defeat to Ilya Ivashka from Belarus in last year's edition.
Kohlschreiber record winner in Munich
Casper Ruud will start the race as number two behind Zverev. Which is exciting in that the Norwegian just won against Zverev in the quarterfinals in Miami. Mind you on hard court. The Munich sand and the altitude should suit the Norwegian even better. In 2021 Ruud finally succeeded in alpine Gstaad and at the Generali Open in Kitzbühel.
Old master Philipp Kohlschreiber , who is currently working at the ATP Challenger tournament in Marbella, should not be missing in Munich. Kohlschreiber is the record winner of the BMW Open with three titles, his appearance in a few days could be the last one. Unless Kohlschreiber feels like he did in Munich last time in 2016, when he struck for the third time nine years after his first success. In the final against Dominic Thiem , who can remember. The wildcard for Kohlschreiber described Kühnen as a matter of course. Incidentally, he would not sign an early end of Kohlschreiber's career.
"Kohli" let himself be added to the player presentation shortly before his quarter-final match in Marbella. And once again worked out the special features of the location. He would benefit from the altitude, explained Kohlschreiber. This would give him more length in his balls.
Opelka at the start for the first time
Patrik Kühnen quickly revealed the secrets of the upcoming field of players - and opened with Daniel Altmaier. The German youngster was the last player to make it directly into the shortlist. Miomir Kecmanovic, who lost a dramatic match to Carlos Alcaraz in Miami last night, will be there for the first time in Munich. The fans can also expect great entertainment from Alexander Bublik, Daniel Evans will unpack his fine blade. Defending champion Nikoloz Basilashvili is known to come with speed.
Appearances by Americans in Munich are rather rare. It is all the more astonishing that Kühnen has succeeded in signing Reilly Opelka, a man who had made it to the semi-finals in Rome last year. All in all, however, he prefers to hit the hard court. Mackenzie McDonald and Marcos Giron are also coming to the Aumeister from the USA.
Wheelchair legend Alfie Hewett is coming to Munich
For the first time, an invitation event for wheelchair tennis players will also be held as part of the ATP Tour 250 tournament. Tournament director for this will be Niklas Höfken, the German national coach for wheelchair tennis. Eight players will fight for prize money of 30,000 euros on Thursday and Friday. With Alfie Hewett, a 19-time Grand Slam champion and also number one in the world will come to Munich.