MUNICH, April 15, 2024

After an exciting and sunny qualifying weekend, high temperatures in Munich might have dropped but the level of tennis has increased. Main draw action of the BMW Open got underway after a rain delay on Monday with No. 6 seed Jack Draper in action. The 46th-ranked Briton fought past Vit Kopriva from the Czech Republic 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 to seal his 50th tour-level match win.

In his Munich debut, Draper broke his rival’s serve six times and secured the bigger points towards the end of the encounter, which lasted two hours and 12 minutes.

50 not out 💥@jackdraper0 defeats Kopriva 6-1 5-7 6-4 to reach his 50th Tour level win 💪 pic.twitter.com/pg50VH1Gah

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 15, 2024

“The match was going my way but Vit came up with some amazing tennis in the second set. It was hard to get over the line but I am proud the way I did,” Draper said during his post-match on-court interview.

Did he have a problem with the three-hour rain delay ahead of the start of the match? “It was alright. I chilled in a nice, comfortable area,” the 22-year-old responded. “It’s always difficult waiting for the rain delay, trying to get yourself going, you stop and then you go again. But thanks for coming out and supporting us, especially in this weather. It makes such a huge difference.”

Draper will next take on Rudolf Molleker of Germany, who defeated Italian qualifier Francesco Passaro 6-4, 6-2 in 68 minutes.

Moro Canas stuns Thiem

Later in the afternoon, Spanish qualifier Alejandro Moro Canas celebrated a successful tour-level debut by knocking out 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem of Austria 6-4, 6-4. The World No. 240 was a break down in both of the sets but battled his way back. He won 75 per cent of his first-service points and broke Thiem’s serve five times to advance in one hour and 49 minutes.

First Tour win feels 😀

Alejandro Moro Canas defeats Dominic Thiem 6-4 6-4 for his first ATP tour win 🎉#BMWOpen pic.twitter.com/dTvis4pm9X

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 15, 2024

“I am just so excited and thankful for the opportunity playing in this amazing Stadium against such an amazing player. I am so happy right now,” Moro Canas said afterwards. Up next for the Madrid native will be No. 3 seed Taylor Fritz from the United States.

Meanwhile on Court 1, Alex Michelsen earned his first ATP Tour match win on clay beating local wild card entry Max Hans Rehberg 7-6(2), 6-3. The 19-year-old US-American, who was competing in just his second tour-level match on the red dirt, saved two set points on serve at 4-5 in the first set, before he gained the decisive break of the second set in the eighth game to advance after one hour and 43 minutes.

Michelsen will face either Dominik Koepfer of Germany or 2019 BMW Open champion Cristian Garin from Chile in the second round of the ATP 250 event.

Krawietz/Puetz top seed in doubles

Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz are the top-ranked doubles team at the BMW Open this week. Both players of the German tandem have already won the title here in Munich. Krawietz lifted the doubles trophy 2021 alongside Dutchman Wesley Koolhof as well as 2022 together with his compatriot Andreas Mies. Puetz was successful with Frederik Nielsen from Denmark five years ago. Now, they are seeking their first team title at the MTTC Iphitos and their second overall following their triumph on home soil in Hamburg last year.

“We have played a good season so far,” Krawietz told reporters at the Golden Racket Club by Käfer. “We reached back-to-back semi-finals at Indian Wells and Miami. Of course, at some point even more would have been possible. We know that we can also win these tournaments but we stay relaxed and try to make the best out of it.”

Puetz added: “We are in a good position in the ATP Race (No. 5 team) and there are still many tournaments coming up, including three Grand Slam events. There is still a long way to go this year.”

Further changeable weather can be expected this week. Will this affect their game? “When we come to Munich, we are prepared for snow,” Krawietz joked referring to the 2016 edition, when qualifying play was halted several times due to snow. “We just have to be a bit more flexible in terms of practice sessions and match times. But we know these procedures pretty well and don’t see any problems with it.”

Krawietz and Puetz will open their title bid against Marcus Daniell of New Zealand and Philipp Oswald from Austria.