MUNICH, April 25, 2015
The 100th edition of the International Tennis Championships of Bavaria kicked off with sad news, proclaimed during the main draw ceremony on Saturday morning. It was announced that Tommy Haas has to postpone his comeback to the ATP World Tour again. The 37-year-old German, who has been sidelined from the courts since Roland Garros in May last year wanted to return on Tuesday and received a wild card for the BMW Open by FWU AG.
“I tried everything to become fit for my favourite tournament. Unfortunately it didn’t work out. I am really sorry for the fans. Of course I will come to the venue next Tuesday speaking to the spectators,” Haas told his decision. His wild card for the main draw went to former world number eight Janko Tipsarevic, who is on his comeback trail as well and dropped in rankings to 824th position. The Serb will play his second tournament of the season after Houston two weeks ago.
At what point Haas will finally return to the courts remains uncertain. “I do not want to put myself under pressure. I will come back when I am ready and at 100 per cent. It is still my big goal to return, in particular playing the tournaments in Germany,” the former world number two explained.
There will also be a new tradition starting this year in Munich. Of course, the tournament’s champion will receive a brand new BMW but for the first time also a pair of original Bavarian leather trousers.
Main draw ceremony with Referee Norbert Peick, ATP Supervisor Cedric Mourier and German player Benjamin Becker
Top-seed Andy Murray could be a candidate for this very special present. The world number 3 received a bye in the opening round – as all of the tournament top four seeds – taking on the winner of the match between Jan-Lennard Struff and a qualifier. Murray will step into action on Thursday.
Second favourite Gael Monfils will face the winner of the encounter between Joao Souza and Pablo Andújar. The in-form-Spaniard just made it into the final of the ATP 500 event in Barcelona and will maybe arrive in Munich with the trophy in his bag.
Third seed Roberto Bautista-Agut will take on either the last direct acceptance to the main draw Farrukh Dustov or a qualifier in his opening match and fourth seed David Goffin will face the winner of Lukas Rosol against Simone Bolelli.
Benjamin Becker, organizer Michael Mronz and tournament director Patrik Kühnen present the “Lederhosen” for the BMW Open Champion 2015
Main draw ATP 250 Munich
On-court tennis action took place with the first round of the qualifying.
All of the seeded players made it into the second round. Only fourth seed Matthias Bachinger lost to Mikhail Ledovskikh in three sets.
Qualifying’s number one favourite Dustin Brown, who received a wild card for the doubles main draw teaming up with Philipp Petzschner, defeated Louis Wessels 6-1, 6-3 in only 51 minutes.
Second seed Norbert Gombos had to go the distance beating Miljan Zekic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and 40 minutes.
Czech veteran Radek Stepanek also advanced to the next round. The 36-year-old former world number eight plays his only second tournament of the year, the first on ATP World Tour level. Stepanek lost in his only previous match in 2015 against Jared Donaldson in the opening round at the ATP Challenger in Sarasota and beat Ivo Klec in Munich’s qualifying winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in one hour and 57 minutes.
Second round qualifying matches will start on Sunday at 10:30 am CET.
