Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Hamburg match.
In the second round of the ATP event in Hamburg, two players with the same first name go head-to-head — local favourite Alexander Zverev and Frenchman Alexander Müller, whose surname may sound more German than his opponent’s.
Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev enters the match as the clear favourite. He is the top seed at this tournament. With most of the ATP top 10 choosing to rest in the lead-up to Roland Garros, and with Taylor Fritz and Novak Djokovic playing in Geneva, Zverev finds himself with a clear path in Hamburg, facing little serious opposition — except his own expectations. He opted not to compete in his hometown last season.
Alexander Müller
Alexander Müller is unseeded in Hamburg and currently holds the world No. 40 ranking. He has had a relatively strong campaign this year, already securing 16 wins — nearly matching his total from last season (17) — but this time with a positive win-loss ratio (16–11 compared to 17–20). In the opening round, he got past little-known Swede Elias Ymer (No. 279), but it took him nearly two hours to grind out a 6:3, 7:5 win.
Alexander Zverev vs Alexander Müller Prediction
Alexander Zverev needed slightly less time to see off another player with the same first name, Aleksandar Kovacevic, wrapping up the match in around 90 minutes, with only the second set posing a challenge (6:1, 7:6). Although Alexander Müller might offer some resistance during certain phases, just as in their two previous encounters, the German is expected to win by a margin of five to seven games.
