Just one day before the start of the Bitpanda Hamburg Open, it’s official: Alexander Zverev will once again return to his hometown tournament. The Hamburg-born star has been granted an A+ wildcard, allowing him to join the tournament field. Zverev, who played at the Rome Masters just days ago, will now play in Hamburg ahead of the French Open, which begins in ten days.

The current World No. 2 returns once more to a venue full of personal significance.

In 2023, Zverev captured the Hamburg title for the very first time in his career and in 2024, he reached the final at the Rothenbaum, narrowly losing to France’s Arthur Fils in a thrilling battle. Every match last year showed how deeply Zverev is connected to his home tournament and his hometown. This season, the 28-year-old has already lifted the trophy at the BMW Open by Bitpanda in Munich, defeating American Ben Shelton in the final. Earlier in the year, he reached the Australian Open final, falling to World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Zverev has been one of the world’s top players for years, with an impressive record of 24 career titles including two Nitto ATP Finals, seven Masters 1000 and an Olympic gold medal from the 2021 Tokyo Games. He is also a three-time Grand Slam finalist.

Alexander Zverev: “I’m so excited to return to Hamburg. Everybody knows how much this  place means to me – Hamburg is my birthplace, it’s where I started playing tennis and where I got a wildcard to play my first ATP tournament . I’m particularly looking forward to the fans at the Rothenbaum, who always support me in a very special way.”

Tournament Director Enric Molina Mur: “Having Sascha in the draw at this year’s Bitpanda Hamburg Open is fantastic news – for the tournament, for the city of Hamburg, and for German tennis. Sascha is not only a former champion and finalist last year but also a true Hamburger. He’s coming home. I always believed there was a chance for him to play our event and I cannot be more thankful to him and his team for their commitment. The anticipation to see him again at the Rothenbaum is huge. I’m sure the fans will give him a truly remarkable welcome.

Alongside Zverev’s late addition to the field, the tournament also announced some withdrawals:

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Holger Rune are both unable to play due to injury and illness. In addition, Jannik Sinner, Tommy Paul, and Lorenzo Musetti have withdrawn due to their continued run at the Rome Masters.

The Bitpanda Hamburg Open Singles Main Draw will start on Sunday, May 18, and promises to feature great matches.

Alexander Zverev is scheduled to begin his quest for a title on Monday.