The grass courts of Stuttgart’s BOSS Open came alive on June 12, 2025, as Germany’s top seed Alexander Zverev battled past Frenchman Corentin Moutet in a thrilling 6-2, 7-6(7) showdown, securing his first victory at the ATP 250 event since 2015. The world No. 3, a three-time Grand Slam finalist, overcame early-season grass-court rust and a spirited challenge from the crafty Moutet to advance to the quarter-finals, signaling his intent to make a strong push toward Wimbledon. In a match that tested his composure, Zverev’s resilience shone through, setting the stage for a pivotal grass-court campaign on home soil.
Zverev, who last competed in Stuttgart in 2019, admitted the transition to grass was no easy feat. “The first match on grass is never easy,” he said in his on-court interview, acknowledging the challenge posed by Moutet’s unorthodox style. The 28-year-old German, who holds 24 ATP titles but none on grass, dominated the first set, racing to a 6-2 lead with a four-game winning streak after Moutet briefly leveled the score at 2-2. His powerful serve and heavy groundstrokes overwhelmed the Frenchman, who struggled to counter Zverev’s aggression. However, the second set proved a sterner test, as Moutet, ranked No. 91, unleashed a barrage of slices and pace changes, taking a 2-1 lead with an early break. “I actually think it was a very average match, but I won in the end, and that’s the most important thing,” Zverev reflected, candid about his 34 unforced errors.
The match, lasting one hour and 51 minutes, hinged on a tense second-set tiebreak. Moutet, fresh off a three-set win over Fabio Fognini in the first round, earned a set point at 6-5, aided by a lucky netcord. Zverev, however, stayed calm, saving the set point and seizing control when Moutet’s forehand sailed long. The Frenchman, visibly frustrated, smashed his racquet in half after the defeat, a stark contrast to Zverev’s measured celebration. “I prefer to win 6-2, 6-2, but you can never choose these kind of things,” Zverev told broadcasters, underscoring his relief at closing out the match in straight sets despite the second-set drama.
This victory marks Zverev’s 30th win of the 2025 season, bolstering his 15-4 record on German soil since July 2024, which includes a clay-court title in Munich in April. Stuttgart, however, has historically been a tough hunting ground for the Hamburg native, with only one prior win—a 2015 victory over Mate Pavic—before this year’s triumph. His grass-court struggles are well-documented, with no titles on the surface and a career-best fourth-round showing at Wimbledon. Yet, Zverev’s performance against Moutet, where he converted four of six break points, suggests a growing comfort on the slick courts. “It wasn’t one of my best matches,” he admitted to DF1, noting Moutet’s advantage of having played a grass match earlier in the week.
The Stuttgart crowd, basking in sunny skies, roared for their home favorite, who is leveraging the BOSS Open as a critical Wimbledon tune-up after a quarter-final exit to Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros. Zverev’s path forward includes a quarter-final clash with No. 6 seed Brandon Nakashima, who dispatched fellow American Learner Tien 7-6(5), 6-3. Nakashima’s clean performance, facing no break points, sets up a formidable challenge for Zverev, who aims to replicate his Munich success and claim a rare grass-court crown.
Adding to the German narrative, 17-year-old wildcard Justin Engel stunned the field by reaching his first ATP quarter-final, defeating No. 7 seed Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-4. “Unbelievable,” Engel said, admitting he was “very nervous” before upsetting the world No. 35. His flawless 31/31 first-serve points and back-to-back breaks in the third game of each set highlighted his potential, drawing parallels to Zverev’s own early breakthroughs as a junior world No. 1. As Stuttgart celebrates its homegrown talents, Zverev’s victory over Moutet positions him as the man to beat, even as he acknowledges the need to sharpen his game. With Wimbledon looming, this gritty win could be the spark that ignites a breakthrough grass season for the German star.
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