Three Germans will be in action on the second day in of the ATP 500 Munich, including defending champion Alexander Zverev, who will be looking to repeat his 2018 successful title defense. Several other matches are also on the cards, and we offer our predictions on who will advance to the next round.

ATP Munich Day 2 Predictions
Tallon Griekspoor vs Denis Shapovalov

Head–to–Head: Griekspoor 1 – 0 Shapovalov

Tallon Griekspoor has quietly evolved into one of the most dangerous ball-strikers on Tour, a Dutchman who punishes short balls with ruthless efficiency and owns a serve that can silence any crowd. Shapovalov, meanwhile, is tennis’s most thrilling enigma; a left-handed shotmaker whose mental wiring can short-circuit the moment momentum shifts.

On his day, the Dutchman can play with a quiet confidence and swagger that Shapovalov has never consistently matched over a full match. Unless the Canadian’s flat, laser-focused best shows up from the first ball, and it absolutely can, Griekspoor’s engine should outlast Shapo’s fireworks display.
Prediction: Griekspoor in 3

Vit Kopriva vs Justin Engel

Head–to–Head: First Meeting

Here’s a punchy two-paragraph preview for tennis fans:

Vit Kopriva arrives in Munich as one of the Tour’s most reliable grinders, built on a Challenger foundation of multiple titles and a return game that creates genuine pressure. He puts the squeeze on second serves, breaks at a solid clip, and on clay, where he’s accumulated most of his best results, he knows exactly how to suffocate an opponent.

Justin Engel cannot be written off, though. The 18-year-old German phenom is one of the most exciting young players in the sport right now. He plays fearlessly, with nothing to lose on home soil in Munich. Kopriva is the smarter pick, but if Engel catches fire early, this clay court could quickly become his stage, especially in Munich.
Prediction: Engel in 3

Zizou Bergs vs Marko Topo

Head–to–Head: First Meeting

Zizou Bergs is one of the most improved players on the ATP Tour over the past two seasons. Belgium’s No. 1 has climbed to a career-high of world No. 40 on the back of relentless baseline grinding and a steely ability to drag opponents into wars of attrition, exactly the kind of chess match that clay courts reward. He’s been building momentum through Monte Carlo and will be eager to make his mark in a tournament that suits his game down to the dirt.

22-year-old German Marko Topo has a nose for this tournament, having received wild cards here multiple times and upsetting higher-ranked opponents in Munich qualifying before. The pair have no prior head-to-head history, which adds a delicious layer of unpredictability. Topo has nothing to lose and everything to prove on home clay. Bergs should win, but on a day when the underdog gets loose, and the crowd gets loud, stranger things have happened on red dirt.
Prediction: Bergs in 3

Alexander Zverev vs Miomir Kecmanovic

Head–to–Head:  Zverev 2 – 2 Kecmanovic

Alexander Zverev walks into Munich carrying the weight of home-crowd expectation, yet this first-round draw is no gimme. On clay in Bavaria, with the crowd behind him, he’s exactly the kind of player who can dial it up when it matters.

But you can’t write off Kecmanovic just yet. The Serbian has traded wins with the German, though all their encounters have been on hardcourts. After a brutal 0-4 start to 2026, he has steadily rebuilt his confidence, producing some of his cleanest tennis of the season.

That being said, he carries a 5-27 career record against Top 10 players, and Munich’s clay offers little shelter from Zverev at his best. Expect Zverev to advance, but Kecmanovic to make him earn every game.
Prediction: Zverev in 3

Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports