Tophavorit Alexander Zverev wants to show his best side again in his home country. The local hero meets a qualifier in the first round of the ATP tennis tournament at the Hamburg Rothenbaum.
The start in the Hanseatic city was actually not planned, but after the quarter-finals in Rome against the Italian Lorenzo Musetti. “Hamburg brings positive emotions out of me,” said Zverev, who had only agreed to participate the day before, on Saturday. The first match of the Tokyo Olympic champion is on Monday – his opponent has not yet been determined.
After the disappointment, however, it is clear: the winner of 2023 takes the competition very seriously. “I don’t want to lose in the first round. I will not say I am in the quarter -finals and that’s enough for me now,” emphasized the number one Zverev. “I’ve never done that. I am here to win as many matches as possible.”
And with a view to the French Open, which begins on May 25th, Zverev added: Even with a final participation next Saturday, he had “enough time” to prepare for the tournament in Roland Garros. Last year he only lost to Arthur Fils in the final.
German duel in the first round
The draw on Saturday also resulted in a German duel: Jan-Lennard Struff plays in round one of the clay court tournament against Justin Engel, who had only slipped into the main field of the 500 tournament in the Hanseatic city on Friday. Daniel Altmaier, who is dealing with the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliasime, and Diego Dedura (against Luciano Darderi, Italy) are at the start of the traditional tournament at the Rothenbaum.
Zverev take care of prominent cancellations little
Shortly before the start of the tournament, number one in the world, Jannik Sinner (Italy), Stefanos Tsitsipas or Holger Rune had canceled many top players. Zverev, who is primarily concerned in Hamburg, hardly bothers: “I will see Jannik enough over the course of the year, I hope.”
In Paris, a direct duel will be possible from the semi -finals. Through the end in Rome, Zverev will lose second place in the world rankings to the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz. The first two of the ranking can only meet in the final.
