Munich
Zverev wins see-saw clash with Cerundolo, Shelton sinks Fonseca for Munich SF spot
Home favourite Zverev will take on Cobolli in last four
April 17, 2026
BMW Open
Alexander Zverev in action against Francisco Cerundolo on Friday in Munich.
By Andy West
Alexander Zverev held his nerve after a manic start to snap his clay losing streak against Francisco Cerundolo and book a semi-final spot at the BMW Open by Bitpanda.
The top seed and defending champion in Munich, Zverev recovered from letting slip a double break lead in the opening set to earn a 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 quarter-final victory against fifth seed Cerundolo. Now into his fifth Munich semi-final, the No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings will take on Flavio Cobolli for a place in the championship match.
Zverev’s reign roars on 🦁🇩🇪
Three-time champion @AlexZverev battles back 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 past Cerundolo into a 5th Munich SF@BMWOpen500 | #BMWOpenbyBitpanda pic.twitter.com/HFKUlpGhni
— ATP Tour (@atptour) April 17, 2026
Having lost his first three tour-level meetings with Cerundolo (all of which took place on clay), Zverev has since reeled off five straight wins to lead 5-3 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series. In his latest victory against the Argentine, Zverev’s intent to dictate from the baseline was often clear, particularly on return: the 28-year-old converted seven of 12 break points he earned in the two-hour, 15-minute encounter, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
“I thought it was an incredible level,” said Zverev. “Even in the first set when I was up 4-1, he started playing unbelievable. He started returning unbelievable. My first-serve percentage was very high, and he started returning a foot in front of the baseline. So there was nothing I could do, to be honest. I was happy with my level even in the first set. Definitely happy to get the win today against Francisco, for the first time on clay.”
Zverev is now 21-6 for the season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, having reached the semi-finals at five of the six events in which he has competed (including Munich). He is this week chasing a record fourth trophy in Munich, where he previously triumphed in 2017, 2018 and 2025.
On Saturday, Zverev will bid to maintain his unbeaten record against Cobolli, having defeated the Italian last year at Roland Garros and also in Halle. Earlier on Friday, the fourth-seeded Italian Cobolli had little trouble advancing to his maiden Munich semi-final. The World No. 16, already an ATP 500 champion this year in Acapulco, downed Vit Kopriva 6-3, 6-2.
In other action, second seed Ben Shelton defeated Joao Fonseca 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the semi-finals in Munich for the second consecutive year. The American played aggressively in his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against the Brazilian Fonseca and won 84 per cent of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to advance.
“It was a much warmer day today, which caused short rallies compared to the colder days,” Shelton said. “He is an electric player. One of the fastest rising players on Tour, so it has been cool to see his trajectory. For me, being out here and sharing a court with him is a privilege. He has got such great energy and fans around the world, and I really enjoy these types of atmospheres.”
Shelton lost in the final to Zverev last year at the ATP 500 event and is now one win away from a potential rematch. The 23-year-old, seeking his second title of the season after triumphing in Dallas, will play Alex Molcan in the last four. The Slovakian Molcan beat Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 6-4 to reach his first tour-level semi-final since Banja Luka in 2023. Molcan is up 59 spots to No. 107 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.
Fonseca was making his debut in Munich. The former Next Gen ATP Finals champion earned straight-set wins against Alejandro Tabilo and Arthur Rinkderkench in Germany but could not find a way past Shelton. Fonseca has performed well on clay in the past, lifting the trophy in Buenos Aires in 2025.