Erste Bank Open: Tsitsipas, Thiem, Medvedev - who comes to Vienna and how?
Next Monday, October 24, 2022, the Erste Bank Open 2022 will start in the Wiener Stadthalle with the matches of the main draw. We take a look at a few of the (audience) favourites.
by Jens Huiber
last edit:
Oct 17, 2022, 07:37 pm
Things are going well on the ATP tour this week, with three 250 events on the program: in Antwerp and Stockholm traditional tournaments are taking place, in Naples this tradition is just being established. But Austrian tennis fans are already looking forward to the big highlight of every autumn: the Erste Bank Open in the Wiener Stadthalle. It starts on Saturday with the qualification, from Monday the main draw will be fighting for ATP points.
As is so often the case, the top-class starting field in the town hall guarantees excitement right to the end. One thing is excluded in the current edition: a title defense in singles. Because Alexander Zverev, who won in Vienna in 2021, has to sit out due to his ankle injury. We took a look at the status quo of some candidates for a good performance in Vienna...
Medvedev to Vienna as a new father
Out of nowhere, Daniil Medvedev canceled his semi-final appearance in Astana against Novak Djokovic, although the Russian was quite capable of demanding everything from Djokovic in the decisive third set. As we now know, it was not an injury that forced Medvedev to give up - but the approaching arrival of his first child. So you can assume that the US Open champion of 2021 will have a little sleep deficit when he comes to Vienna. Can that be overcome to win the tournament?
On the other hand, Stefanos Tsitsipas does not come to the Austrian capital after a period of rest. After his strong final in Astana, Tsitsipas made a stopover in Stockholm this week and may only travel to Vienna very late. Now the Greek is known as a frequent player - but are they still strong this late in the season?
Thiem still in action in Antwerp
Of course, the same could be said about Andrey Rublev. However: He has finally taken a few days off after bagging his fourth title of the year in Gijon. Rublev knows how to pull through to the end in the Stadthalle, he won there two years ago. And given the program of his main competitors, he must be the top favorite for the title again this year.
Because Rublev's predecessor as Vienna winner, Dominic Thiem, also plays in Antwerp, where he only meets local hero Michael Geerts on Wednesday. With all due respect to Geerts, Thiem will win this match, after which it's either Marc-Andrae Huesler or Francisco Cerundolo. Thiem just patched up the Argentinian in Gijon, while the Swiss is currently pushing a good run, which he crowned with his first tournament victory on the ATP tour in Sofia. So Thiem will be warned. But he might not come to Vienna until very late. But that would also mean: with several success stories.