MUNICH, April 11, 2026

The 2026 BMW Open by Bitpanda got underway on Saturday with the start of qualifying under sunny skies at the MTTC Iphitos in Munich, setting the stage for a thrilling week of top-level tennis. At the same time, the main draw of the ATP 500 event was revealed, outlining a packed field full of high-profile matchups.

Zverev and Shelton lead the line-up

Top seed Alexander Zverev will begin his title defense against Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanović. The world No. 3 from Germany has mixed memories of the matchup, with Kecmanović having defeated him earlier this year at the Abierto Mexicano ATP 500 hard-court event in Acapulco. Their head-to-head record is tied at 2-2, as Zverev targets a fourth title on home soil in Munich.

Last year’s finalist Ben Shelton also returns and will open his campaign against a qualifier as the No. 2 seed.

“I am really happy to be back,” Shelton said on Saturday. “For me the most memorable part of last year’s tournament was that I should have lost in the first round. We had a lot of tight matches. It was a crazy tournament run last year and to end up in the final was pretty cool. Hopefully, I can have another great run this week. I like playing here – not that much when it’s cold – but this is a great tournament. I like the conditions. They have made so many improvements over the last 12 months. The tournament is very well attended, with a lot of enthusiastic fans, pretty much more than at any other ATP 500 event. The courts are always packed – even during the qualifying. I enjoy the atmosphere.”

The top four seeds are completed by Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan and Italian Flavio Cobolli. Cobolli is set to face Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics, while Bublik takes on Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in one of the standout first-round clashes.

Two players making their Munich debut add further excitement: Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas will face Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan, while Brazil’s rising star Joao Fonseca meets Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo in an all-South American encounter.

Strong German contingent in Munich

Among the German contenders, Daniel Altmaier is set for a challenging opener against former US Open champion Marin Cilic.

“Marin is always extremely well prepared and therefore a tough opponent to start against,” Altmaier said about his opening rival during the on-court main draw ceremony.

“The atmosphere here is very nice. The German fans can look forward to a great tournament. Sascha is in very good shape. In addition, with Jan-Lennard Struff, Yannick Hanfmann, Justin Engel and myself, there are several other German players in the draw. Maybe a few more will make it into the main draw through qualifying,” Altmaier added, referring to the demanding conditions in Munich, where matches are played at over 500 meters above sea level.

“I arrived here on Thursday to prepare for the altitude. You either have to train a lot or play many matches to gain confidence in these conditions. With every round you win, you start to feel better,” Altmaier concluded.

Here is the draw for the @BMWOpen500 2026.#ATPTour #Munich 🍺 pic.twitter.com/UQJ5DjQuFs

— TennisTourTalk (@TennisTourTalk) April 11, 2026

Tournament director Patrik Kühnen believes the event is stronger than ever.

“World-class tennis from the very first point and across all competitions – we could not ask for more from a sporting perspective and are proud to present what is probably the most attractive field in the history of this traditional tournament.”

“Our player field this year underlines that Munich, now in its second year as an ATP 500 tournament, has become a top address on the ATP Tour,” added organiser Christian Okon. “Combined with the special atmosphere and unique setup, we have all the ingredients for a fantastic tournament week.”