In the final week before Roland Garros gets underway, the ninth ATP 500 of 2025 – at the Hamburg Open – will host an array of top players looking for a last-minute clay preparation.
At last year’s edition, Arthur Fils defeated Alexander Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(1) to lift the second ATP title of his career.
However, the Hamburg Open has seen various high-profile withdrawals within the last few weeks – including world No 1 Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune, Lorenzo Musetti, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Ugo Humbert, and Tommy Paul.
Many of these withdrawals are undoubtedly due to the event’s newly-found position within the ATP Tour’s calendar, having previously been held between Wimbledon and the first hard-court events in North America.
Despite this, the entry list means that the event promises to be an exciting prospect, with Alexander Zverev, Frances Tiafoe, Andrey Rublev, and Francisco Cerundolo leading the way as the top four seeds.
Top Half
Current world No 3 Zverev took a wildcard into the event after a string of disappointing results over the clay-court season, losing in the second round, fourth round, and quarterfinals of the three Masters 1000s, respectively.
The German will open his Hamburg campaign against a qualifier or a lucky loser, before likely facing Alexandre Muller in the third round. Zverev has faced the Frenchman on two occasions, winning all five of their sets, including a 6-4, 6-1 victory at the ATP 250 event in Munich earlier in 2025.
Sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime – a possible last-eight opponent for Zverev – opens against the experienced clay courter Daniel Altmaier. The Canadian has claimed multiple titles this season, but has struggled as of late to string wins together, failing to reach to go beyond the third round of any Masters 1000.
Most recently, Auger-Aliassime withdrew from Rome due to a lower back injury. Should the Canadian get through Altmaier, he would meet either Alexander Bublik or Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard before – potentially – facing Zverev.
Third seed Andrey Rublev leads the opposing section within the top half, with Brandon Nakashima, Jan-Lennard Struff, and Lucas Darderi also featuring.
Should both the German and the Russian make the projected semi-final, neither would feel overly confident in gaining the victory. Zverev leads the head-to-head 7-3, but it is Rublev who claimed their most recent clay-court meeting – with both struggling for confidence, recently.
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Bottom Half
Tiafoe, as the second seed, leads the bottom half of the Hamburg Open draw. The American has had mixed clay-court results this season, reaching the final of Houston and the fourth round of the Madrid Masters, but falling in his opening match in Barcelona and Rome.
Nevertheless, he will open against Yunchaokete Bu – an opponent who he has never met. In the third round, Tiafoe is projected to face either Roberto Bautista Agut or Marcos Giron, with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Gael Monfils, and Flavio Cobolli as possible quarter-final opponents.
Fourth seed Francisco Cerundolo is one of the most in-form players of the clay-court season, reaching multiple semi-finals and putting on a good showing against Jannik Sinner in Rome.
He opens against Pedro Martinez, before likely encountering Jiri Lehecka in the second round. From there, it is an all-Argentinian affair, with Sebastian Baez, Tomas Etcheverry, Camilo Ugo Carabelli, and Francisco Comesana being his four potential quarter-final opponents
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