KOBLENZ, January 15, 2018

The lone ATP Challenger event of the week is taking place in Germany with the second edition of the Koblenz Open held at CGM Arena in Koblenz.

Andrey Kuznetsov leads the field at the indoor €43,000 hard-court event facing Ilya Ivashka from Belarus in the first round. The 26-year-old Russian, who clinched seven ATP Challenger titles in his career, is currently ranked World No. 104. Kuznetsov and Ivashka will meet for the first time.

Marco Cecchinato is seeded second, taking on fellow Italian Andrea Arnaboldi in his opening match. Three-time ATP World Tour titlist Sergiy Stakhovsky from the Ukraine, who will open his title bid against a qualifier, and Germany’s Oscar Otte are rounding out the Top 4 in the draw. Otte starts his home campaign against Alexey Vatutin of Russia.

Former Top 10 players Ernests Gulbis from Latvia and Spanish veteran Tommy Robredo are also in action. Both will meet a local wild card entry in their first round encounters on Tuesday. Gulbis plays Benjamin Hassan from Germany and Robredo faces Koblenz native Jan Choinski in another interesting match-up.

17-year-old Nicola Kuhn will also start his new season in Germany. The #NextGenATP Spaniard is on the rise and will be looking to complete his Top 200 ascent in the ATP Rankings. Kuhn awaits a qualifier in the first round.