ATP 500 MUNICH. By Leo Canaparo
German Alexander Zverev, No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings, defeated Ben Shelton in the Munich final 6-2, 6-4 in just one hour and eleven minutes, capturing his third title at the tournament (2017-18, 2025). In doing so, he matched compatriot Philipp Kohlschreiber’s record of three titles (2007, 2012, 2016). It was the perfect birthday celebration — at home, and with a trophy in hand.
Zverev was rock-solid from the baseline throughout the match, dictating rallies with depth and precision. His consistency forced Shelton to take more risks, which ultimately led to a high number of unforced errors from the American. Shelton tried to break Zverev’s rhythm with aggressive plays, but the German’s defense and shot tolerance held strong under pressure.
The two best players of the tournament faced off. It marked only the fourth time in the event’s history that the top two seeds met in the final — and the first since No. 2 Mikhail Youzhny defeated No. 1 Marin Cilic in 2010.
This Munich hat-trick is the first time Zverev has won three titles at the same event, bringing his total career trophy count to 24 — six of those coming at the ATP 500 level.