Daniel Masur is the first winner of the German Masters Series 2018. The 23-year-old defeated Kevin Krawietz in a purely German singles final at the Southwest Bank Tennis Grand Prix in Schwieberdingen with 6-2,7-5. The two finalists in the singles also celebrated a joint success in doubles.
While the top stars of the tennis scene get themselves into shape for the first highlight of the year in Melbourne, Schwieberdingen, a Swabian municipality with a population of around 11,000, will be hosting the annual kick-off for the German Masters Series. For the eleventh time already, the Südwestbank Tennis Grand Prix, an ITF-Pro-Circuit men’s event with a total prize money of $15,000, is the gauntlet for an international tournament series lasting several weeks across Germany’s halls.
The home advantage for the local heroes was particularly noticeable this year. A total of 16 German players took part in the main field and with Daniel Masur and Kevin Krawietz two of them finally made it to the final.
Masur had the better start in the duel of the two former training partners from TennisBase Oberhaching. The reigning German champion managed to break his first match break in the sixth game and finally bag the opening set 6-2 after 22 minutes.
Krawietz found his rhythm in the course of the second round and took his first break with a wonderful backhand longline winner in the third game to a 2-1 lead. The number 584 in the world, who left the performance centre near Munich after nine years with the new season and joined Klaus Langenbach as coach, has more and more often successfully sprinkled the slice into his game. Krawietz was able to finish the set in the 10th minute. But then everything went very fast.
The number 2 of the tournament, which was visibly confronted with the conditions on the fast carpet in the Tennis King Academy, was 6-5 and took the first chance to win the match in 12th place. Match to seal a 6-2,7-5 win after 68 minutes.
“I am of course very satisfied and hope to be able to build on this achievement in the coming weeks,” says Masur, who was already successful in Schwieberdingen two years ago.
“Of course, we both know each other very well and that’s why we know what to expect. Maybe I had the better match plan today,”Masur suspects,” the $2,160 in prize money and 18 ATP World Ranking Points as a consolation not to be able to attend the big tennis circus in Australia this year.
“That’s a bit hard,” admits the 23-year-old,”All the guys from Base played a great season and are now preparing for Australia. But I came here to make the best of it and see the positive. Winning a tournament is always nice. Besides, it’s not so hot here either.”
Masur doesn’t just leave Schwieberdingen with a title in his luggage. On Friday, the two finalists played together in the final of the doubles competition, defeating Sebastien Boltz from France and the German Kai Wehnelt 4-6,6-2,10-2.
Despite the ITF’s reform of the Futures tournament series from 2019 onwards, there is a good chance that top tennis will continue to be played in Schwieberdingen next year:”I will work hard to ensure that the tournament can remain here,” promises Tournament Director David King, who spends a lot of time and commitment with his team in maintaining the event.
From 2019, however, an ITF Pro Circuit tournament will require a minimum prize pool of $25,000 to continue to be able to award World Ranking Points. In view of the initial negotiations with potential sponsors, however, King is looking forward to an increase in prize money.
“All interested parties are cordially invited to contact us,” explains the American-born American with a hopeful smile. As it will no longer be an obligation to hold three tournaments in one country at a time, a potential 12th edition of the tournament could be held. Output of the event also take place on a different date. King has already set his sights on a certain period of time for this: the carnival holidays in 2019.