Daniil Medvedev serves for the first time in Halle
Daniil Medvedev will be serving at the Noventi Open in Halle / Westphalia for the first time this year. The Russian has recently been number two in the ATP world rankings.
by PM
last edit: Mar 25, 2021, 02:52 pm
He is the "man of the hour" in world tennis. And when the international ATP elite gathers for the 28th NOVENTI OPEN from June 12th to 20th, 2021, he will be there for the first time in the OWL ARENA in HalleWestfalen: Daniil Medvedev, the 25-year-old "World Champion" and Australian Open finalist. "We are proud and happy that Daniil is celebrating his debut in Halle as the new superstar of tennis this year", says tournament director Ralf Weber about the significant coup for this year's ATP 500 lawn event. “As a player and character, he has long been one of the outstanding personalities on the ATP Tour.
Medvedev is already looking forward to his first appearance at Germany's most important ATP event in Lindenstadt in East Westphalia: “I've heard so many great things about the tournament from colleagues. Of course my goal is to win. But the competition will be very strong. ”Recently, Daniil Medvedev made global headlines with his tournament success in Marseille and his jump to second place in the world rankings: With this historic advance, a player who was not Roger Federer was in this position for the first time since 2005 , Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray. "This ended a 16-year era of the Big Four," noted "SPIEGEL Online".
Record winner Roger Federer aims to defend his title
After the comeback of Roger Federer (ATP 7) at the ATP tournament in Doha at the beginning of March, the tennis world will also be looking excitedly to HalleWestfalen in mid-June, where the record champion will start the grass season, which is very important to him. In the Qatari capital, the 39-year-old Swiss had emphasized that he wanted to “achieve his old level of performance at the tournaments in Halle and Wimbledon.” “It will be a great moment to be able to welcome Roger back to Halle,” says Ralf Weber.
“He was and is the best ambassador our tournament has ever had.” In 2019, Federer won his tenth tournament in Hall with a final win against Belgian David Goffin. "I would like to successfully defend my title in Halle," says the tennis superstar. After his 2020 semi-final defeat by Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open, Federer had to take a 13-month injury break, during which time he had two knee operations.
Japan's top star Kei Nishikori is looking forward to returning to Halle / Westphalia
Kei Nishikori (ATP world ranking 39) is one of the players who make life as difficult for Medvedev as possible in HalleWestfalen and who want to raise the coveted trophy themselves. The Japanese top star, who has already moved up to fourth place in the world rankings, will enter the cup fight for the seventh time and try to trump his previous top result, the semi-finals in 2014 and 2015. In 2014, Nishikori lost to Roger Federer in two tense sets in the semifinals. "I'm really looking forward to returning to Halle," says Nishikori, as "it is one of the best-organized and most pleasant tournaments of the season."
Russian Karen Khachanov wants to "have a say" in awarding the title
In addition to Daniil Medvedev, Roger Federer and Kei Nishikori, the start of Russia's top man Karen Khachanov (ATP 22) at the 28th NOVENTI OPEN is clear. The 24-year-old Muscovite is entering the title race in Halle-Westphalia for the fourth time; his best result so far was his debut in the semi-finals in 2017. The tall power player reached the quarter-finals in 2018 and 2019. "I'm sure that Karen is dying to have a say in the fight for the tournament victory," says tournament director Ralf Weber.