Alexander Erler: Hirsch shock and career high
Alexander Erler is currently doing better in the ATP world rankings than ever before - but he had to deal with a great shock.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit:
Apr 27, 2021, 12:21 pm
The last days were exciting in the life of Austria's Alexander Erler. Just a week ago, Erler celebrated his greatest sense of achievement as a professional tennis player with the victory in Meerbusch , and this Monday he is better than ever in the world rankings: with 387th place.
On the way home from an ITF tournament in Sibenik (Croatia), where Erler had reached the quarter-finals, he had to cope with a shock when a deer thundered into his car at 120 km / h. "It was a horrible sight," Erler told the Kronenzeitung . His buddy Björn Nereyka drove, he himself was absorbed in his cell phone on the passenger side - and that's exactly where the deer ran into. My colleague Björn stayed calm and didn't tear off the steering wheel. "I don't know where the deer came from, it was also light". The car now has to be towed, Erler and Nereyka had to continue by taxi.
Erler also reported on the difficulty of getting into the Challenger fields in the current situation. Since there are currently fewer tournaments taking place, these are usually very well staffed. "The cut for the qualification is between 330 and 340. In normal times I would be there with my ranking, so unfortunately I still have to play futures."
Should Erler continue as before in 2021, that could soon change: In the annual ranking, the "Race to Turin", he is already in 270th place.