Holder Musetti, local Zverev move through in Hamburg

Titleholder Lorenzo Musetti and Hamburg-born Alexander Zverev were both barely tested on Tuesday as they advanced to the second round on the ATP clay in the Baltic port city.

Tournament No. 3 Musetti defeated  Swedish qualifier Elias Ymer 6-4, 6-1, earning his 15th win of the season.

Zverev, seeded fourth, reached the second round with the loss of just three games against Slovak Alex Molcan – his 50th Tour win over lefties.

Zverev owns two semi-finals (2014 and 2019) in his hometown and is still struggling to rev up his game after last season’s nasty ankle injury at Roland Garros.

The German now faces a compatriot in wild card Maximilian Marterer, a winner over co-national Rudolf Molleker 7-6(2), 6-2.

Musetti played a semi-final at the weekend on clay in Bastad and kept his momentum alive with his defeat of Swede Ymer, breaking serve five times in 76 minutes.

“It took a little bit to get the momentum going. It was not easy because the opponent was playing well, pretty aggressive from the beginning,” the winner  said.

“In the end I found the right balance, the right rhythm. I have good memories from last year and I am really feeling good here.”

Musetti already holds trophies from Hamburg and Naples last season; he beat Carlos Alcaraz here in the final here a year ago.