Challenger Marbella: Thiem comeback, April weather and overpriced snacks - a personal conclusion
The Challenger event in Marbella attracted an unusual amount of attention this year with the comebacks of Dominic Thiem and Stan Wawrinka - and apart from the early exit of the two superstars, the organizers were able to look forward to a successful event at least up to and including Wednesday. A personal conclusion.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Mar 31, 2022, 06:00 pm
by Nikolaus Fink from Marbella
The unexpected often comes in life. If someone had told me on Thursday that I would be on a plane to Malaga just two days later, I probably wouldn't even have acknowledged the statement with a smile. The idea alone seemed too absurd - even after it became known that Dominic Thiem would start in Marbella. And yet, on Saturday at 6:15 a.m. sharp, the plane took off for Andalusia with me on board.
After the obligatory checks at Malaga airport and a 40-minute bus ride to the coastal town of Marbella, I reached my accommodation with a mixture of great tiredness and even greater anticipation due to the extremely early departure. The last time live tennis, it was a long time ago, not least because of the corona pandemic. Too long. Way too long.
Thiem and Wawrinka during training
As soon as I entered the facility, I realized again why tennis fascinates me so much. Lovers of the sport will agree that there is nothing in this world that can replace the sound of a tennis ball being hit hard. Especially when this noise is evoked by the two Grand Slam champions Dominic Thiem and Stan Wawrinka, as in a training session on Sunday .
The fact that the comebacks of the two superstars were not crowned with success made the tournament director Florian Leitgeb and his team long-faced on Tuesday. However, everything that was in the hands of those responsible was offered at the highest level. Nice press center, quick communication and short distances to the courts - Leitgeb and Co. left nothing to be desired. The fact that the facility in the picturesque Club de Tenis Puente Romano offered an excellent ambience did the rest.
T-shirt and winter jacket
However, the weather conditions were a little less good: often cloudy, sometimes rainy, occasionally sunny. Yes, April arrived in Marbella a few days early. It's no wonder that all items of clothing, from short T-shirts to winter jackets, could be seen on the site.
The only negative experience - and that says a lot about the tournament - was the overpriced snacks. Ten euros for a small chicken wrap and five euros for a coffee fall into the "overpriced" category. But that didn't spoil the positive overall impression in the slightest.