**Alexander Zverev Kicks Off Hamburg Open with Dominant Win in Hometown**
Alexander Zverev, the World No. 2 and hometown favorite, launched his 2025 Hamburg Open campaign with a commanding 6-1, 7-6(5) victory over American Aleksandar Kovacevic in the first round on May 19, 2025, at the Rothenbaum Tennis Center. The top seed, who won the ATP 500 event in 2023, showcased his clay-court prowess, firing 24 winners and committing just 12 unforced errors, per TennisWorldUSA.com. The match, reported by TennisNow.com, culminated in a thrilling tiebreak where Zverev won the first four points, securing the win with a 7-5 scoreline after generating three match points at 6-3, per SportsMax.tv.[](https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/On_the_ATP_results_with/155809/hamburg-alexander-zverev-makes-winning-start-in-his-hometown/)[](https://sportsmax.tv/other-sports/tennis/atp/zverev-beats-kovacevic-in-hamburg)[](https://www.tennisnow.com/News/2025/May/Home-Style-Top-Seeded-Zverev-Wins-Hamburg-Opener.aspx)
Zverev, a Hamburg native, expressed gratitude for the home crowd’s support, stating, “I can really use this positivity,” per Sportskeeda, especially after recent controversies, including his criticism of Lorenzo Musetti’s “defensive” style and a scheduling dispute, per TennisInfinity.com. His performance, described as a “masterclass” on Facebook, improved his Hamburg record to 13 wins in his last 15 matches, per OutlookIndia.com. Fans on X, like @TennisTV, praised his “Zverev in two” efficiency, though @josemorgado noted sparse crowd turnout due to the event’s challenging pre-Roland Garros slot.[](https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/tennis/alexander-zverev-vs-aleksandar-kovacevic-round-of-32-hamburg-open-match-report)[](https://www.facebook.com/AndreyRublev1997/photos/great-start-for-the-hometown-boy-and-world-number-3-alexander-zverev-in-hamburg-/1267819202013719/)[](https://x.com/atptour/status/1685322045440086016)
The 2023 champion, who accepted a last-minute wildcard after initially criticizing the tournament’s timing, per @atptour, aims to leverage the home energy as he prepares for Roland Garros, where he reached the 2024 final. Zverev’s strong start, backed by family support, per olympics.com, sets the stage for a deep run, with a second-round matchup next, likely against a qualifier, per hamburgopenatp500.com.[](https://hamburgopenatp500.com/en/news/)[](https://x.com/atptour/status/1923377120501211232)
