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The second-seeded American saved three match points to claw past qualifier Borna Gojo 4-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(3) at the newly upgraded clay-court event in Munich. The pair’s maiden meeting gripped fans for two hours and 25 minutes under spring sunshine in Bavaria, and it was Shelton who kept his cool under pressure to prevail in a big-serving clash.

“That was ridiculously difficult,” Shelton said. “The way that he served, the way that he played, even when he got upset. He just started slapping winners. 

"That was a tough ask today, to go up against him. I got lucky in a couple of big moments and held my nerve down a few match points. I’m really happy to be in the second round here in Munich.”

The No. 15 in the ATP rankings saved his first two match points at 4/6 in the second-set tie-break, before saving another at 5-6, 30/40 in the third set. He then produced a classy deciding-set tie-break display, crucially earning three minibreaks against the 6’5” Gojo’s booming serve.

Shelton saved nine of 10 break points he faced in his win to set a second-round meeting with Roberto Bautista Agut or Botic van de Zandschulp. He now holds an 11-12 tour-level record on clay, a surface on which he had played only two professional tournaments prior to 2023.

“I think this is the type of tough win that can propel your season, or propel your clay-court swing," he said. "Weird things happen on clay. It’s not always straightforward. I’m learning more and more every day how to play, how to move. I’m just happy with the progression. 

"Obviously being down match points is never easy, and to come through was a little bit lucky but I’m happy with the way I closed it out.”

Top seed, two-time champion and home favourite Alexander Zverev enjoyed a more straightforward start to his 2025 Munich campaign. The World No. 3 downed Alexandre Muller 6-4, 6-1 to bounce back impressively from his opening-round defeat to Matteo Berrettini last week at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

“Especially after the loss in Monte-Carlo and a few losses generally in the past few months, it was important to come out and have a performance like that,” Zverev said. “I obviously want to get back to my best tennis and do really well in the tournaments coming up. I’m happy with my first-round win and hopefully I can play better in my next few matches as well and continue building on this form.”

Zverev is bidding to equal Philipp Kohlschreiber as a record three-time titlist in Munich, where he holds a 16-8 record overall. His next assignment at the Iphitos Tennis Club will be a second-round clash with countryman Daniel Altmaier, who defeated qualifier Tseng Chun-Hsin 7-6(5), 7-6(5).

Tallon Griekspoor, Miomir Kecmanovic and David Goffin were other winners in Munich. Griekspoor eased past Learner Tien 6-4, 6-2 to set a second-round meeting with Miami champion Jakub Mensik or home wild card Yannick Hanfmann.

Kecmanovic saved two match points in the deciding-set tie-break before downing Marcos Giron 6-2, 6-7(2), 7-6(9).

Former World No. 7 Goffin, who upset Carlos Alcaraz in Miami last month, defeated Billy Harris 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-4.