Alexander Zverev won the Hamburg European Open for the first time by beating Laslo Djere 7-5, 6-3.

It’s the 26-year-old Zverev’s first title since winning in Turin, Italy, in November 2021 and he achieved it without dropping a set at his hometown tournament.

The German converted three of his four break points to beat the 57th-ranked Djere in an hour and 50 minutes.

“I was born here, I grew up on these courts, I first picked up a tennis racket in Hamburg, so to win here is bigger than winning a regular ATP event,” Zverev told his fans.

“It’s almost like a first title again,” he added. “It’s such a long time, 18 months, and I’m just super happy right now.”

“It was incredible for me, incredibly emotional. I’m just super happy right now.”

Zverev is the first German since Michael Stich in 1993 to win on the Hamburg clay.

The fourth-seeded Zverev began the week denying allegations of assault after the public prosecutor’s office in Berlin applied for a penalty order to be made against him. Zverev said the matter was being handled by his lawyers.

Dutch player Arantxa Rus won the women’s title.

AP/PTI