Tsonga, Kecmanovic rain on German parade in sodden Stuttgart

Berlin - Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Miomir Kecmanovic rained on the home crowd's parade by beating local heroes Mischa Zverev and Philipp Kohlschreiber as the grass court season got off to a sodden start at the ATP tournament in Stuttgart on Monday.

French veteran Tsonga thrashed Zverev 6-3, 6-0 and Serbian teenager Kecmanovic came from behind to beat 35-year-old Kohlschreiber 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, before the rain came down and play was suspended on centre court.

"It's never easy to play your first match on grass, especially against Mischa, who is a good server," said Tsonga after condemning Zverev to a sixth successive first-round exit on the ATP tour this year. 

Another German, Jan-Lennard Struff, was set to meet eighth seed Denis Shapovalov while Hungary's Marton Fucsovics was due to face Spain's Jaume Munar in Monday's other scheduled matches.

Poor weather conditions saw both games postponed, with more rain forecast for the rest of the week in Stuttgart.