BRAUNSCHWEIG, June 21, 2018

Sparkassen Open defending champion Nicola Kuhn will return to the 25th edition of the ATP Challenger event in Braunschweig this year. The 18-year-old Spaniard is currently ranked World No. 226 and lifted his maiden Challenger trophy here one year ago. Kuhn was awarded a wild card into the main draw.

“He played a fantastic tournament last year and was the fans’ favourite. So there was no question about granting him one of the four wild cards,” tournament director Volker Jäcke commented.

Kuhn will be joined by fellow #NextGenATP star Andrey Rublev. The 20-year-old Russian is the current World No. 32 in the ATP Rankings but also needed a wild card, as players ranked inside the top 50 are generally not allowed to enter tournaments on the ATP Challenger Tour.

“Andrey has been injured for a couple of weeks and wants to return to competition in Braunschweig,” Jäcke said.

The German Tennis Federation (DTB) awarded the first of its two wild cards to teenager Rudolf Molleker. The 17-year-old from Oranienburg celebrated his first professional title at the NeckarCup in Heilbronn last month.

“Another promising German player will receive the second wild card,” Jäcke knows. “DTB-Sports director Klaus Eberhard will announce the decision during the next couple of days.” 

The entry list is led by World No. 68 Nicolás Jarry of Chile.