Vienna, October 10, 2014 –
With David Ferrer, a Top-5 player will participate at this year’s Erste Bank Open in Vienna! The current number five in the ATP world ranking accepted a wild card for the € 593.705,- event granted by tournament director Herwig Straka . After 2003 and 2004, Ferrer will arrive for the third time at Vienna Stadthalle and will enjoy as one of the four top-seeded players a first round-bye.

David Ferrer during the tournament in Hamburg this year.

“I am delighted that with David Ferrer a superstar from the top 5 in the world rankings will come to the Erste Bank Open this year. This gives a special touch to the tournament’s 40-years anniversary and makes a strong and balanced field even more attractive. After intensive discussions in recent days, we finally managed to fix the start of David Ferrer in Vienna. Due to the time difference to Shanghai, where he currently plays, I couldn’t find sleep last night to close the deal, “Straka said.

The 32-year-old Ferrer lost today in the quarterfinal of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Shanghai 2-6, 4-6 to the Serbian world number one Novak Djokovic. In yesterday’s second round match, the Spaniard defeated Scot Andy Murray after losing the opening frame in three sets. Ferrer captured 21 career titles and was also 24 times in an ATP final. Last year, he reached his first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros in Paris and this season he triumphed at the clay court tournament in Buenos Aires.

Andy Murray will serve in Vienna

Later in the afternoon, another top-player and two times Grand Slam Champion Andy Murray accepted the second wild card. “I have been organizing tennis events since 1991, but you have to wait a long time to have a day like this. With Andy Murray and David Ferrer, Vienna’s tournament has reached another dimension. I am looking forward to presenting this great player’s field to our spectators,” Straka was excited.

The third and final wild card went to Austrian Gerald Melzer, brother of former world number eight, Jürgen.