Holger Rune made a winning start to his title defence at the BMW Open by American Express on Thursday when he moved past German wild card Yannick Hanfmann 6-3, 6-4 in Munich.
The 19-year-old was No. 70 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings when he earned his maiden tour-level title at the clay-court event 12 months ago. This week he returns to Munich at a career-high No. 7 after reaching the final in Monte-Carlo.
In the first ATP Head2Head meeting between Rune and Hanfmann, it was the Dane who quickly found his range in Munich, taking the ball early to hit through the German. He timed the ball cleanly off both wings and broke his opponent’s serve three times to advance after one hour and 25 minutes.
"It was a tough match," Rune said. "I am happy with the way I played. It is difficult to play the first match, different conditions. Thank you guys for the support. I really love this tournament. I had made my breakthrough with my first title here last year, so it is special to be back."
Rune now holds a 18-8 record on the season. The top seed is chasing his fourth tour-level title this week and will next face Cristian Garin or Lorenzo Sonego in the quarter-finals.
World No. 16 Alexander Zverev lost against Rune in his opening-round match in Munich last year and suffered an early exit at the ATP 250 event again on Thursday when he fell to Christopher O’Connell.
The Australian overcame the 19-time tour-level titlist 7-6(2), 6-4 to earn the biggest win of his season after one hour and 58 minutes. Into his third tour-level quarter-final of the year, O’Connell will next meet Flavio Cobolli after the #NextGenATP Italian defeated Oscar Otte 6-0, 3-6, 6-3.
German Zverev, who lifted the trophy on home soil in Munich in 2017 and 2018, will now head to Madrid, where he has clinched the title twice (2018, 21).
In other action, Aslan Karatsev clawed past Daniel Altmaier 4-6 7-6(2), 6-2, while American Marcos Giron overcame Alexander Ritschard 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
The 19-year-old was No. 70 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings when he earned his maiden tour-level title at the clay-court event 12 months ago. This week he returns to Munich at a career-high No. 7 after reaching the final in Monte-Carlo.
In the first ATP Head2Head meeting between Rune and Hanfmann, it was the Dane who quickly found his range in Munich, taking the ball early to hit through the German. He timed the ball cleanly off both wings and broke his opponent’s serve three times to advance after one hour and 25 minutes.
"It was a tough match," Rune said. "I am happy with the way I played. It is difficult to play the first match, different conditions. Thank you guys for the support. I really love this tournament. I had made my breakthrough with my first title here last year, so it is special to be back."
Rune now holds a 18-8 record on the season. The top seed is chasing his fourth tour-level title this week and will next face Cristian Garin or Lorenzo Sonego in the quarter-finals.
World No. 16 Alexander Zverev lost against Rune in his opening-round match in Munich last year and suffered an early exit at the ATP 250 event again on Thursday when he fell to Christopher O’Connell.
The Australian overcame the 19-time tour-level titlist 7-6(2), 6-4 to earn the biggest win of his season after one hour and 58 minutes. Into his third tour-level quarter-final of the year, O’Connell will next meet Flavio Cobolli after the #NextGenATP Italian defeated Oscar Otte 6-0, 3-6, 6-3.
German Zverev, who lifted the trophy on home soil in Munich in 2017 and 2018, will now head to Madrid, where he has clinched the title twice (2018, 21).
In other action, Aslan Karatsev clawed past Daniel Altmaier 4-6 7-6(2), 6-2, while American Marcos Giron overcame Alexander Ritschard 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.