WARSAW/STARNBERG, August 23, 2021
After a year of absence on the ATP Challenger Tour due to the coronavirus outbreak, the BNP Paribas Sopot Open has moved to Warsaw, changing its name to BNP Paribas Polish Cup.
The €44,820 clay-court event is being held this week at the Legia Tenis & Golf in Warsaw, Poland and former doubles World No. 6 Mariusz Fyrstenberg is still the tournament director.
Rain means nothing, when you meet the stars at #BNPParibasPolishCup 😃@m_fyrstenberg 🎾🏐 @SkowronskaKasia #VIPLounge #Happyness@ATPChallenger #ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/iiCsUEDAs9
— BNP Paribas Polish Cup (@BNPP_PolishCup) August 23, 2021
Final round of qualifying to conclude Tuesday
Only two matches in the final round of qualifying could be played on Monday due to bad weather. Local favourite Daniel Michalski booked his spot in the main draw with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Christopher Heyman from Belgium. The World No. 448, who was born in Warsaw and also resides in Poland’s capital city, sent down four aces and won 76 per cent of his first-service points to advance after one hour and 47 minutes.
“I think it was a very good match,” Michalski said. “Maybe I didn’t start it in a spectacular way, but I was getting more and more active from ball to ball and in the second set I had an advantage. It is much better to play in your own country, at home, in front of spectators cheering for their compatriot. This is not even a double, but a triple motivation.”
In other action, qualifying top seed Alexander Shevchenko emerged victorious from the all-Russian affair with with Bogdan Bobrov. The 20-year-old converted four of his five break-point chances to prevail after one hour and 23 minutes.
In the remaining two qualifying matches, Johan Niklas from Switzerland will take on Jonathan Mrida of Sweden, and Polish wild card entry Jan Zielinski will face Aldin Setkic from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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Due to continuing rain all main draw matches are postponed until tomorrow.
OP – MONDAY, AUGUST 23:
CC (has covers) not before 4:30 pm:#QS – [WC] J.Zieliński 🇵🇱 vs [7] A.Setkic 🇧🇦 1:6, 6:2, 4:5#QS – [4] J.Nikles [4] 🇨🇭 vs J.Mridha 🇸🇪 0:0#ATPChallenger @ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/2qT0BVxGuf— BNP Paribas Polish Cup (@BNPP_PolishCup) August 23, 2021
In-form Altmaier top seed in Warsaw
The field in Warsaw is led by World No. 106 Daniel Altmaier from Germany, who claimed his second ATP Challenger career crown on home soil at the Platzmann-Sauerland Open in Lüdenscheid last Sunday. The 22-year-old will play Swedish teenager Leo Borg in the first round. No. 2 seed Tristan Lamasine of France will begin his title bid against a qualifier.
While Warsaw awaits their first champion, winners of the two previous editions held in Gdynia and Sopot were Paolo Lorenzi in 2018 and Stefano Travaglia in 2019.
Mamy nadzieję, że jutro deszcz nie pokrzyżuje planów i tenisiści będą mogli robić to, co lubią najbardziej 🎾 Pierwszy mecz już o godz. 10
Po godz. Daniel Altmeier [1] zmierzy się z Leo Borgiem [WC] 🔥@ATPChallenger @m_fyrstenberg @BNPParibas_PL
Więcej informacji poniżej ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/OQaDNaBu3r— BNP Paribas Polish Cup (@BNPP_PolishCup) August 23, 2021
