Alex de Minaur battled back to win a tough opener at the Hamburg Open on Monday, overturning a slow start to beat Francisco Cerundolo 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and nine minutes. The third seed ended a three-match losing run and collected his first victory since an opening-round win in Barcelona more than a month ago. The result also moved him ahead 2-1 in his head-to-head with Cerundolo.
De Minaur’s Performance and Upcoming Match
Cerundolo, ranked 27th, remains a major threat on clay. Since the start of 2023, he is tied with Alexander Zverev for the most wins on the surface with 74, according to ATP statistics. De Minaur, who spoke before the event about simplifying his game, showed patience and precise shot-making at key moments to turn the match around.
Second seed Ben Shelton also halted a skid, edging fellow American Marcos Giron 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (3) in his tournament debut. The world No. 6 earned his first win since lifting the trophy in Munich last month after first-round exits in Madrid and Rome. Shelton amped up his aggression late and leaned on his left-handed serve to navigate the closing stages.
De Minaur will meet Alejandro Davidovich Fokina next, after the Spaniard posted a composed 6-4, 6-4 win over Corentin Moutet. Despite moments of flair from Moutet, including a standout tweener lob, Davidovich Fokina stayed steady to advance.
Shelton’s next opponent is home favorite Daniel Altmaier, who defeated qualifier Rinky Hijikata 7-5, 6-2. As the tournament progresses, both De Minaur and Shelton will look to build on their recent victories and continue their pursuit of success on the clay courts of Hamburg.