RG champ Zverev survives as seeds tumble in Halle

Alexander Zverev was tested to the limit  on Tuesday on the ATP Halle grass as the new French Open champion squeezed out a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 opening win over Czech Vit Kopriva.

“I’m very pleased and happy to play my first match as a Grand Slam champion in Germany, but I don’t think that affected me too much,” the 29-year-old  Zverev said. 

“It (his problem) was really the change of surface, and my opponent was really good today. 

“I’m very pleased with the win, it  was a difficult match, a difficult opponent, and for the first grass-court match, it was not too bad.”

While the German top seed and world No. 3 was going about his business, a pair of lesser seeds hit the exits in northern Germany, with seventh seeded two-time titleholder  Alexander Bublik  going down to Italy’s Mattia Bellucci 7-6 (6), 6-1.

The Kazakh seed won the trophy here in 2023 and a year ago.

Bellucci is only the second man to upset a reigning champion in the opening round at the venue and set up a second-round encounter with qualifier Raphael Collignon, who defeated  Australian Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-2.

No. 8 seed Andrey Rublev was defeated by Poland’ Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 6-2,

Main photo:-Alexander Zverev with his maiden Grand Slam Trophy in Paris – by Roger Parker/ISF Ltd