Defending champion Alexander Zverev battles past Miomir Kecmanovic in Munich first round

[p]Reigning champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zverev-alexander/dGbUhw9m/"]Zverev[/a] seemed in control after taking the first set but the third-ranked German made a series of errors as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kecmanovic-miomir/MTQ5CPOR/"]Kecmanovic[/a] began to show more resistance.[/p][p]World number 58 Kecmanovic rallied to win the second set and forced a final-set tiebreak against the top seed.[/p][p]In chilly, windy conditions in the Bavarian capital, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/kecmanovic-m-MTQ5CPOR/zverev-a-dGbUhw9m/?mid=UwSic8sp"]Zverev eventually shook off Kecmanovic after two hours and 18 minutes[/a].[/p][p]"[b]Today is a very cold day so it was difficult to put on the pressure. At the end of the day, I'm happy I won,[/b]" Zverev said.[/p][p]"[b]Now we can get started. I can't play any worse than I did in the second and third sets today. But I played my best tennis in the crucial moments, which is the main thing[/b]."[/p][embed guid="b99b6da6-ec72-4357-b1ae-899cca3867d7" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2044045452044079582" social-type="twitter" /][p]The 28-year-old will face Canada's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/diallo-gabriel/2TgBLj6G/"]Gabriel Diallo[/a] in the last 16. Zverev has won the Munich title three times, in 2017, 2018 and last year.[/p][p]Kecmanovic, 26, is the only player other than [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sinner-jannik/6HdC3z4H/"]Jannik Sinner[/a] to have defeated Zverev since his semi-final exit at the Australian Open in January. He beat Zverev in the second round in Acapulco in February.[/p][p]Elsewhere on Tuesday, sixth seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/darderi-luciano/jeXTxMIp/"]Luciano Darderi[/a] beat China's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zhang-zhizhen/IFKEHRGG/"]Zhang Zhizhen[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/darderi-l-jeXTxMIp/zhang-z-IFKEHRGG/?mid=Gl1llV4T"]7-6(5), 3-6, 6-1[/a], while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shapovalov-denis/zXddgn9o/"]Denis Shapovalov[/a] defeated eighth seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/griekspoor-tallon/f3zfMU5i/"]Tallon Griekspoor[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/griekspoor-t-f3zfMU5i/shapovalov-d-zXddgn9o/?mid=0I0Ydam1"]6-4, 3-6, 6-2[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cobolli-flavio/zDtaCcPe/"]Flavio Cobolli[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fonseca-joao/tv073LUc/"]Joao Fonseca[/a] also booked their spots in the second round with straight-set victories.[/p]