(by Florian Heer)
Ben Shelton picked up right where he left off in Munich, returning to the BMW Open by Bitpanda with confidence and momentum. After last year’s dramatic run to the biggest clay-court final of his career – highlighted by saving three match points in his opening match – the American began his 2026 campaign on Monday in hard-fought fashion, battling past compatriot Emilio Nava in three sets to launch his title bid as the No. 2 seed.
In a match between two close friends, Shelton could rely on his serve in difficult moments, firing 14 aces throughout the encounter. In the end, the world No. 6 won six points more than Nava to secure a 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-3 victory in two hours and six minutes.
“It’s tough. Not just a compatriot, but probably my best friend out on Tour, or one of a few,” Shelton said. “His trajectory has been steep lately, so I’m happy to see the way he has been climbing. I know he wasn’t feeling 100 per cent today, so I feel bad about that. I hope he gets back to 100 per cent quickly, because he’s playing great on the clay.”
Nava, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser after falling to Slovakian Alex Molcan in the final round of qualifying, and Shelton both often practice together in Florida but met for the first time in a professional match.
“He’s got a massive serve, similar to my first-round matchup last year, and it made things really difficult. He returned well down the stretch in the second set, broke me when it mattered, and he was clutch. So, to get through that, I’m really happy. Starting my run here in Munich, it’s a special place for me, and I’m just excited to keep going.”
Up next for the 23-year-old Atlanta native will be Belgian wild card entry Alexander Blockx, who defeated Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann 7-6(2), 6-2 in one hour and 28 minutes.
In other action, fifth seed Francisco Cerundolo eased past Indian lucky loser Sumit Nagal 6-2, 6-2 in one hour and 20 minutes. The 19th-ranked Argentine will play two-time Munich finalist Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands in the second round.
Arthur Rinderknech also opened his campaign in Bavaria with a comfortable win. The seventh-seeded Frenchman beat Alex Michelsen from the United States 6-3, 6-3 in one hour and 41 minutes, while Gabriel Diallo of Canada defeated Ukrainian qualifier Vitaliy Sachko 6-1, 6-2 in 76 minutes.
Earlier in the day, João Fonseca spoke to the media ahead of his debut appearance in Munich, sharing his excitement about competing at the BMW Open by Bitpanda for the first time.
“I am really happy to be here in Munich for the first time,” the Brazilian said. “Although it’s a little bit cold, I am feeling really great. I practiced today and yesterday, and I also feel good at the altitude here.”
Fonseca, who will take on Alejandro Tabilo of Chile in the first round, highlighted the importance of the conditions as part of his preparation for the upcoming clay-court swing. “I always wanted to come here. It is a great tournament and it’s at altitude, which is good preparation for next week’s Masters in Madrid.”
Looking ahead, the 19-year-old acknowledged the challenges of facing elite competition on the ATP Tour. “It’s always tough to play against the top-ranked players. I need to find solutions when I am not playing at my best to still win the match,” he explained. “I have been achieving good results. I am trying to learn balance and to be more consistent with the results. I am still learning and still need to understand more of the mental part of the game.”
Off the court, Fonseca also revealed his interest in football and his desire to experience the sporting culture in Munich when Bayern Munich hosts Real Madrid in the quarterfinal of the Champions League. “I have never met Vinicius Jr. I hope I can visit the game, and I will cheer for the Brazilians,” he added with a smile.
Alexander Zverev is back in Munich, where the German star is set to make his 12th consecutive appearance at the MTTC Iphitos. The three-time champion, who lifted the trophy in 2017, 2018 and again on his 28th birthday last year, is tied with Philipp Kohlschreiber for the most titles at the tournament in the Open Era.
Reflecting on his history at the event, Zverev looked back on his early days in Munich. “Winning tournaments is obviously great. I probably can’t remember every match I’ve played here, but I do remember my first one. I received my first wildcard here in 2014 and only won three games against Jürgen Melzer. I still remember that match well because I was in a big learning phase at the time and very nervous on court.”
Now one of the leading players on the ATP Tour, Zverev arrives in strong form. “I’m happy to be here. I have played a lot of tennis recently, which is very positive and means that I’ve been playing well,” the world No. 3 said.
In the opening round, Zverev will face Miomir Kecmanović, who defeated him earlier this season in Acapulco. The German is eager for a different outcome this time. “On that day, I didn’t play well, and I mentioned at the beginning of the year that matches like that would happen. After that, I found my rhythm again, and I’m looking forward to facing him here in Munich and doing better.”
