Many rain interruptions, full programme on Thursday
Defending champion Holger Rune also gets in on the action
Munich: Rain, hail showers, the occasional sunshine - on this day in the round of 16, the weather had it all. Typical April. And although these are not his conditions at all, Alexander Zverev fought his way through and has reached the quarter-finals of the BMW Open - in three acts, if you like, as the match had to be interrupted twice for longer.
Yuri Rodionov from Austria, the world number 118, was only able to keep up in the first set. Alexander Zverev took it in a tie-break and was not fazed by a two-hour interruption with rain and hail showers.
The second round had just started and then it was a break again. Alexander Zverev then really stepped on the gas, quickly got the first break of the match and then never let up.
He advanced to the quarter-finals of the BMW Open with 7:6 and 6:2 and was celebrated afterwards by the brave fans, who had held out for hours in the rain, with a wave of la-ola: "That was a very special match," he said on Centre Court, "but it always is in Munich. I'm very happy to be through to the next round and not have to leave straight away, as I did in the last two years." He then joked with the spectators and said: "I would have had 16 beers if I'd had to wait that long."
Rudi Molleker was eliminated against a well-mannered Jack Draper from Great Britain. Molleker, who had made it into the main draw with a wildcard, won the first set 6:4 because he played "amazing tennis", as Draper said after the match. After that, however, the Briton, who is ranked number 46 in the world, got into the match better and better and didn't even let a brief rain interruption stop him. With a 4:6, 6:1 and 6:1 win, he progressed to the quarter-finals of the BMW Open and will now meet the winner of the match between Taylor Fritz (USA) and Alejandro Moro Canas (ESP), who had made it into the main draw via the qualifying round.
The other two round of 16 matches (Cristian Garin (CHI) - Alex Michelsen (USA) and Taylor Fritz (USA) - Alejandro Moro Canas (ESP)) could not be played due to the bad weather and were postponed until tomorrow.
Unfortunately, the German doubles pairing of Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz had to cancel before their first appearance. Last year's finalists had been looking forward to the BMW Open, but Tim Pütz has now injured his left leg. Mark Wallner (GER) and Jakob Schnaitter (GER) have replaced them in the competition.
The fixture list is really full tomorrow due to the postponements. A total of six round of 16 matches have to be played. Jan-Lennard Struff is scheduled to make his first appearance against the BMW Open finalist of the last two years, Boris van de Zandschulp (NED). From a German perspective, Yannick Hanfmann will also play against Marc-Andrea Hüsler from Switzerland. Defending champion Holger Rune and US star Taylor Fritz will also start the tournament tomorrow, Thursday.
The Allianz Para Trophy also starts with the first matches. The tournament will be held for the third time as part of the BMW Open, for the first time as an ITF Grade 1 event. This step towards becoming an official tournament of the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour means not only an additional doubles competition but also a larger field of 16 players and more prize money (40,000 euros). The absolute world elite will be competing in Munich.
