ATP: Garlic, Knowle and light wave – the Vienna balance sheet

Seven days of main field at the ATP World Tour 500 tournament in Vienna – and the balance of Austria’s biggest tennis event is consistently positive.

One of the winners of the week: The lady at the pizza stand, friendly but hopeful, asking if she would like an extra portion of garlic on her margaritha, salami or ham. But yes: Garlic for the win! Twice, please!

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Speaking of food: Kei Nishikori actually likes it very much in Wine, which the Japanese did not tire of emphasizing. And yes, Kei has also tried Schnitzel (whether original or only Viennese style, was not investigated more closely). But the greatest culinary delight for Nishikori was a Japanese restaurant, which he found in the city centre. Whether the biggest sports star of his country was able to dine there undisturbed is questionable: The Austrian capital is still high on the list of preferences of Japanese tourists.

Again and again impressive in Vienna: The flexibility with which the curtain is lowered to the highest rank, but also raised again. The latter was necessary for the first time on Thursday, to whom other than Dominic Thiem owed.

The clear fashion number one of the week: Julian Knowle. The Vorarlberger, currently listed as “Inactive” by the ATP, thrilled the audience of SKY already on Monday in a white suit, afterwards rather in dark outfits. Whether Knowle becomes active again depends on his physical recovery. And the availability of a partner with a promising ranking.

The saddest eyes of the week belonged to Mohamed Lahyani, at least at the beginning of the tournament. When asked, however, the editorial staff’s favourite referee showed himself to be in good spirits. Although not in top form. But this is mainly due to the fact that the man whose name Mohamed pronounces with the greatest joy was not at the start in Vienna: Gulbis Ernstl chose Basel in 2018.

Chapeau finally also to the two hall speakers – and their direction of a mobile phone light wave in the darkened Stadthalle. Fernando Verdasco could not only be amazed, no, the veteran made himself part of the whole.