Generali Open Kitzbühel: Novak starts against Mager, Ruud leads the field
The grid for the main competition of the 77th Generali Open Kitzbühel has been drawn. The two Austrian wildcards Dennis Novak and Alexander Erler are faced with feasible tasks in their first round games. Casper Ruud entered the ATP Tour 250 tournament in first place.
by PM
last edit: Jul 24, 2021, 02:27 pm
The first Tyrolean in a Kitzbühel main field for 14 years will begin next Monday (July 26th): Alexander Erler will face the Slovenian Aljaz Bedene in his first appearance in the Main Draw of the Generali Open Kitzbühel: “Certainly a feasible one Opponent for Alex. Bedene lost early in Umag last time. With Alex's self-confidence and his game there is definitely something in there, ”explains tournament director Alexander Antonitsch. Then Pablo Cuevas (URU) or the strong Mikeal Ymer (SWE) would wait in the second round.
Dennis Novak will meet Italian Gianluca Mager in his first game on Tuesday, whom he has fond memories of: “He is a very good clay court player. I've won against him before and of course I know him from the Challengers. But it is definitely not an easy draw. ”After three rounds of 16 in Kitzbühel, there is a clear goal for Novak this year:“ Sure, the first quarter-finals have to come. I'm in a good mood and with the home crowd behind me - why shouldn't it work, ”said Novak. In the round of 16, however, a clear Kitzbühel specialist would be waiting: the two-time Kitzbühel finalist and number four of the tournament, Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP), who has a bye for the first round.
Generali Open players in Gstaad and Umag still on the road to success
At the top of the table of the Generali Open Kitzbühel is the Norwegian Casper Ruud. The number 14 in the world would like to continue its current run of success in the semifinals in Gstaad today. The same applies to the only German in the Kitzbühel field: Daniel Altmaier (GER) is sensationally in the semifinals of the ATP 250 tournament in Umag, as does Spain's shooting star Carlos Alcaraz : "I hope that both can continue their successful run at the Generali Open", says tournament director Alexander Antontisch.
Altmaier gets his place in the main field as a special exempt for the tournament in Kitzbühel. Here he will meet the Serb Laslo Djere in his first round game - who always plays big in Kitzbühel. Alcaraz has to deal with the Czech Jiri Vesely. Ex-Top-10 man Lucas Pouille replaces Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who is expecting offspring in the coming days and therefore had to cancel the tournament.
Neumayer at the ATP debut in the next qualifying round
Meanwhile, an Austrian made it into the second round of qualification. Lukas Neumayer presented himself strongly on his ATP debut, but ultimately benefited from the Argentine Juan Ignacio Londero's abandonment in the second sentence: “At the beginning it was difficult for me to get in. For the first time in such a large stadium, I was really impressed. But then I got better and better into the game. And then in the end I was the better player in the second set. I feel very comfortable here and am happy to be one more round. "
Here the single tableau in Kitzbühel
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