Old master Florian Mayer (Bayreuth) says goodbye to the German tennis stage in Hamburg. The 34-year-old received a wildcard from tournament director Michael Stich on Tuesday for the German Open at Rothenbaum (21 to 29 July).
“On a good day I can still win against many, even if the field is very strong this year,” said last year’s finalist Mayer. After the US Open, the 94th World Ranking ends his career.
The other two wildcards were awarded to Rudi Molleker (Berlin) and the Norwegian Casper Ruud. The main field of the 1,619,935 Euro sand court event will be led by French Open finalist Dominic Thiem from Austria. Stich was “extremely satisfied” with the field of participants – even if the two Hamburg-based Alexander and Mischa Zverev did not serve again.
With Philipp Kohlschreiber (Augsburg), Peter Gojowczyk (Munich), Maximilian Marterer (Nuremberg) and Jan-Lennard Struff (Warstein) as well as Mayer and Molleker, six Germans are certainly in the main field at this traditional tournament in Hamburg, whose future is open. In doubles Dominic Thiem and Jürgen Melzer as well as Tim Pütz and Philipp Petzschner will also receive a wildcard.
For Stich, Wimbledon winner of 1991, it is the last German Open as tournament director for the time being. The Legend Match will be played by Stich against John McEnroe on Sunday (6 p.m.), the match will be broadcast on free TV by Sky Sport News HD. Starting next Monday, the station will also show one game a day, the entire tournament will be broadcast on Sky.