Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (left) presented Alexander Zverev (right) with the winner's trophy – and then took a selfie with him. © APA/afp / ALEXANDRA BEIER

For his birthday: Zverev triumphs in Munich

On his 28th birthday, Alexander Zverev (ATP 3) won the final of the ATP tournament in Munich against Ben Shelton.

20 April 2025

From: dpa/mv

What a birthday for Alexander Zverev: First, 6.000 fans sang a birthday song, then the 28-year-old slipped into his victory-winning lederhosen and took a quick spin around Center Court in his sports car. The German tennis star couldn't stop grinning. He had previously defeated US player Ben Shelton (ATP 15) 2-0 (6-2 and 6-4) in the final of the ATP tournament in Munich. For Zverev, it was already his third victory in Munich, and his first ATP success this year.

"That was one of the best weeks a tennis player can have," said the Hamburg native, visibly relieved, after the final. Zverev dominated it on Easter Sunday: He broke the world number 15's first serve, then broke to make it 5-2, and sealed the first set after 28 minutes. The German made far fewer errors than his US rival.

“I could say this is my gift to you”

In the second set, Shelton again missed his first serve – it would prove fatal for him in this final. Zverev seemed more alert and focused, repeatedly clenching his fist with satisfaction. After 71 minutes, the 28-year-old converted his first match point. "I could say this is my gift to you," Shelton told the birthday boy afterward. "But I didn't know that."