After making it to the Australian Open final, where he lost to Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev has been struggling with his form this season. However, at the ongoing BMW Open in Munich, the World No.3 seems to have regained much-needed momentum. Zverev has entered the quarterfinal round in Munich after his R16 victory over compatriot Daniel Altmaier and will now look to get a step closer to the title as he takes on the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor on Friday. The latter is coming off his R16 victory over Yannick Hanfmann. So, who is likely to have the last laugh in this R8 battle? Let’s find out.
Alexander Zverev v Tallon Griekspoor: Preview
Alexander Zverev started the 2025 season on an impressive note, reaching the Australian Open final. But World No.1 Jannik Sinner shattered his dreams of winning his first ever Grand Slam title by beating him in straight sets 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3. After that heartbreaking loss, Sascha failed to carry his form to subsequent events. At the Argentina Open, he did reach the R8 but lost to local favorite Francisco Cerundolo. The same was the case in Rio, where he was ousted in the QF stage by the Argentinian Francisco Comesana.
The next four events were forgettable for Zverev as well. At the Mexican Open, Indian Wells, Miami Open, and the Monte Carlo Masters, he crashed out in R16, R64, R16, and R32, respectively. But it appears he’s back on track this week. At the BMW Open, the German began his campaign with a straight-set win over Frenchman Alexandre Müller. Then in the R16, he beat compatriot Altmaier with a score line of 6-3, 6-2 to enter the last eight.
Tennis: Australian Open Jan 21, 2025 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Alexander Zverev of Germany gestures during his match against Tommy Paul of United States of America in the quarterfinals of the men s singles at the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. Melbourne Melbourne Park Victoria Australia, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMikexFreyx 20250121_jla_zg6_017
Speaking of his opponent, Tallon Griekspoor, his 2025 season has been decent if not excellent. Back in January, he was ousted in the first round of the Australian Open. However, he returned to form with a QF run at the Open Occitanie before losing to compatriot Jesper de Jong. In the next two events (Rotterdam and Qatar Open), Griekspoor couldn’t go past the R16. But he came back strongly in Dubai, making it to the SF stage before losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas.
At the Indian Wells Masters, Griekspoor reached the QF but was ousted by the eventual finalist, Holger Rune. The Dutchman then made it to his maiden ATP final of the season at the Grand Prix Hassan II. However, he couldn’t lift the trophy as Luciano Darderi beat him 7-6(3), 7-6(4) in the summit clash.
In his previous event, at the Monte Carlo Masters, Griekspoor couldn’t move past the R64. But this week in Munich, he’s shown promising signs. In the opening clash of the BMW Open, he ousted the rising American talent Learner Tien in straight sets before eliminating the German Yannick Hanfmann in the R16 to make it to the quarterfinal.
Zverev vs Griekspoor: Head-to-Head
Alexander Zverev and Tallon Griekspoor have met each other eight times across professional ATP events. Currently, Sascha is leading the h2h tally with a huge margin of 6-2. This is the second time in the ongoing season that they are locking horns. Just a month ago, they played in the R64 of the Indian Wells Masters, where Griekspoor emerged victorious.
2025 Indian Wells Masters R64: Griekspoor 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(4)
2024 Paris Masters R32: Zverev 7-6(2), 6-3
2024 Shanghai Masters R32: Zverev 7-6(6), 2-6, 7-6(5)
2024 French Open R32: Zverev 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(3)
2024 Indian Wells Masters R32: Zverev 7-6(7), 6-3
2023 Canadian Masters R64: Zverev 6-4, 7-6(3)
2023 ATP Rotterdam R16: Griekspoor 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
2021 Wimbledon R128: Zverev 6-3, 6-4, 6-1
Prediction: Zverev to win in three sets
Alexander Zverev has won 14 of his 21 matches this season, compared to Tallon Griekspoor’s win-loss record of 16-8. So, the win percentage is exactly the same.
But when it comes to their history in Munich, Zverev has had solid runs at the BMW Open in the past. In fact, he even won the title here back in 2017 when he beat Argentina’s Guido Pella with a score line of 6-4, 6-3 in the summit clash. And guess what? He emerged as the defending champion the following year as well. In the 2018 edition, Zverev won his second BMW Open trophy after defeating compatriot Philipp Kohlschreiber with a score line of 6-3, 6-3.
Speaking of his last three appearances (2022, 2023, and 2024) in the tournament, though, he has been ousted in the R16 on two occasions. Last season, however, he did reach the QF before losing to Chile’s Cristian Garin. On the other hand, Griekspoor has never played in this tournament before, and this is his debut campaign.
As far as their playing styles are concerned, Zverev is known mostly for his strong baseline game. Combine that with his powerful groundstrokes and an effective serve. He’s got a counter-punching approach where he waits for the opponent to make a mistake and capitalize on it. He’s also got a dominating forehand and backhand in his arsenal to keep rivals under pressure. But what about Grieskpoor?
Well, the Dutchman has got an all-court, aggressive style. It gets powered by his incredible forehand and a solid serve. Not to mention his ability to utilize the net to earn points as well, thanks to his smooth movements across the court.
Considering their H2H record, Zverev clearly has an edge over Griekspoor. However, the latter is likely to pose a challenge this time around – even if it doesn’t happen to be in a winning cause.
This should be a close match, but the prediction is for Alexander Zverev to win in three sets and advance.
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