BMW OPEN by FWU AG TALKING POINTS
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BMW Open by FWU AG: PREVIEW & DAY 1 MEDIA NOTES Monday, April 25, 2016 MTTC Iphitos, Munich, Germany | April 25-May 1, 2016 Draw: S-28, D-16 | Prize Money: €463,520 | Surface: Clay ATP Info: Tournament Info: ATP PR & Marketing: www.ATPWorldTour.com www.BMWOpen.de Martin Dagahs: [email protected] @ATPWorldTour @BMWOpenbyFWUAG Press Room: +49 151 26141559 facebook.com/ATPWorldTour facebook.com/BMWOpen BMW OPEN by FWU AG TALKING POINTS TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: Three of the hottest players on the ATP World Tour headline the 2016 BMW Open by FWU AG. No. 1 seed David Goffin is 18-7 on the season, highlighted by back-to- back ATP Masters 1000 semi-finals at Indian Wells and Miami. No. 2 seed Gael Monfils is coming off a run to the ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo final, defeating countryman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semis for his 20th win of 2016. Both Goffin and Monfils are looking up at No. 3 seed Dominic Thiem in terms of wins this season. The Austrian is second behind World No. 1 Novak Djokovic with 26 victories, including titles at Buenos Aires and Acapulco. Also receiving a first-round bye is No. 4 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, who owns a 24-9 Munich record with titles in 2007 and 2012. DAY 1 PREVIEW: German wild card Mischa Zverev plays twice on opening day of the BMW Open by FWU AG. Coming off a clay-court Challenger title at Sarasota, USA, the 28-year-old Zverev takes to Centre Court at 11 am against Santiago Giraldo. Following Ivan Dodig vs. Ernests Gulbis, Zverev will return alongside his 19-year-old brother Alexander for a first-round doubles match against Marco Cecchinato and Fabio Fognini of Italy. The Zverevs upset Jamie Murray and John Peers en route to the 2015 Munich final, which they lost in a match tiebreak to Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares. In the last match of the day, 2010 Munich champion Mikhail Youzhny meets No. 6 seed Thomaz Bellucci, who is on a seven-match losing streak. NINE GERMANS IN FIELD: Next Generation star Alexander Zverev is one of nine Germans playing singles at the 2016 BMW Open by FWU AG. The No. 8 seed enters at a career-high ranking of No. 49, making him the youngest player in the Top 50 of the Emirates ATP Rankings. He is joined in the draw by four-time finalist Philipp Kohlschreiber, who reached the Barcelona semi- finals last week. Former World No. 18 Florian Mayer meets fellow German qualifier Matthias Bachinger in his first tour-level match since the US Open. Other Germans in action are Dustin Brown, Maximilian Marterer, Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, Jan-Lennard Struff and Mischa Zverev. DEL POTRO RETURNS TO CLAY: Wild card Juan Martin del Potro will play his first clay-court match in nearly three years against Dustin Brown in the first round. Since falling to Benoit Paire at ATP Masters 1000 Rome on May 16, 2013, del Potro has endured three surgeries to his left wrist. The former World No. 4 began his latest comeback by advancing to the Delray Beach semi-finals in February. Del Potro reached the 2008 Munich quarter-finals in his only previous appearance. MUSICAL CHAIRS IN DOUBLES: A month marked by many doubles partner changes concludes with the first-time team of Marcelo Melo and Jean-Julien Rojer seeded first in Munich. A year ago, Melo won Roland Garros with Ivan Dodig and Rojer won Wimbledon with Horia Tecau, but neither of those teams has reached a final in 2016. Tecau is playing in the Bucharest final Monday with countryman Florin Mergea, while Dodig is present in singles and absent from doubles in Munich. Reigning Munich doubles champion Alexander Peya is teaming with 2005 champion Julian Knowle after his regular partner, Philipp Petzschner, underwent right knee surgery on April 12. BMW Open by FWU AG Day 1 – Monday, April 25, 2016 Page 2 of 6 www.ATPWorldTour.com MUNICH SINGLES CHAMPIONS AND FINALISTS (since 2004) YEAR WINNER FINALIST SCORE 2015 Andy Murray Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6(4), 5-7, 7-6(4) 2014 Martin Klizan Fabio Fognini 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 2013 Tommy Haas Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 7-6(3) 2012 Philipp Kohlschreiber Marin Cilic 7-6(8), 6-3 2011 Nikolay Davydenko Florian Mayer 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 2010 Mikhail Youzhny Marin Cilic 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 2009 Tomas Berdych Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(5) 2008 Fernando Gonzalez Simone Bolelli 7-6(4), 6-7(4), 6-3 2007 Philipp Kohlschreiber Mikhail Youzhny 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 2006 Olivier Rochus Kristof Vliegen 6-4, 6-2 2005 David Nalbandian Andrei Pavel 6-4, 6-1 2004 Nikolay Davydenko Martin Verkerk 6-4, 7-5 Bold = Players in this year’s draw MUNICH DOUBLES CHAMPIONS AND FINALISTS (since 2004) YEAR WINNER FINALIST SCORE 2015 Alexander Peya/Bruno Soares Alexander Zverev/Mischa Zverev 46 61 10-5 2014 Jamie Murray/John Peers Colin Fleming/Ross Hutchins 64 62 2013 Jarkko Nieminen/Dmitry Tursunov Marcos Baghdatis/Eric Butorac 61 64 2012 Frantisek Cermak/Filip Polasek Xavier Malisse/Dick Norman 64 75 2011 Simone Bolelli/Horacio Zeballos Andreas Beck/Christopher Kas 76(3) 64 2010 Oliver Marach/Santiago Ventura Eric Butorac/Michael Kohlmann 57 63 16-14 2009 Jan Hernych/Ivo Minar Ashley Fisher/Jordan Kerr 64 64 2008 Michael Berrer/Rainer Schuettler Scott Lipsky/David Martin 75 36 10-8 2007 Philipp Kohlschreiber/Mikhail Youzhny Jan Hajek/Jaroslav Levinsky 61 64 2006 Andrei Pavel/Alexander Waske Alexander Peya/Bjorn Phau 64 62 2005 Mario Ancic/Julian Knowle Florian Mayer/Alexander Waske 63 16 63 2004 James Blake/Mark Merklein Julian Knowle/Nenad Zimonjic 62 64 Bold = Players in this year’s draw BMW Open by FWU AG Day 1 – Monday, April 25, 2016 Page 3 of 6 www.ATPWorldTour.com WHO TO WATCH IN SINGLES SEED PLAYER RECORD BEST FINISH 1 David Goffin (BEL) 1-2 2015 Quarter-finalist 2 Gael Monfils (FRA) 1-2 2013 Round of 16 3 Dominic Thiem (AUT) 2-1 2015 Quarter-finalist 4 Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 24-9 2007, 2012 Champion 5 Fabio Fognini (ITA) 4-2 2014 Runner-up 6 Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) 2-1 2014 Quarter-finalist 7 Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 0-1 2015 Round of 32 8 Alexander Zverev (GER) 1-2 2015 Round of 16 WILD CARDS (3) YOUNGEST Juan Martin del Potro (ARG) Alexander Zverev (GER) - 19 years, 5 days Maximilian Marterer (GER) Mischa Zverev (GER) OLDEST Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM) - 35 years, 9 months QUALIFIERS (4) Matthias Bachinger (GER) TOP COUNTRY BREAKDOWN Florian Mayer (GER) Germany (9), Italy (2), Russia (2) Igor Sijsling (NED) Cedrik-Marcel Stebe (GER) WHO TO WATCH IN DOUBLES SEED TEAM BEST FINISH Melo: 2016 Debut 1 Marcelo Melo/Jean-Julien Rojer Rojer: 2015 Semi-finalist 2 Juan Sebastian Cabal/Robert Farah 2012-13 Semi-finalists Kontinen: 2014 Round of 16 3 Henri Kontinen/John Peers Peers: 2014 Champion Knowle: 2005 Champion 4 Julian Knowle/Alexander Peya Peya: 2015 Champion EMIRATES ATP RANKING POINTS AND PRIZE MONEY W F SF QF R16 R32 SINGLES RANKING POINTS 250 150 90 45 20 0 SINGLES PRIZE MONEY (€) 82,450 43,430 23,525 13,400 7,900 4,680 DOUBLES RANKING POINTS 250 150 90 45 0 -- DOUBLES PRIZE MONEY (€) 25,070 13,170 7,140 4,080 2,390 -- BMW Open by FWU AG Day 1 – Monday, April 25, 2016 Page 4 of 6 www.ATPWorldTour.com DAY 1 FEDEX ATP HEAD 2 HEADS – In Order of Play CENTRE COURT [WC] Mischa Zverev (GER) vs Santiago Giraldo (COL) First ATP Meeting Other meetings: 08 ATP Masters 1000 Miami Q (U.S.A.) Hard 1R Santiago Giraldo 7-5 6-3 10 ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai Q (China) Hard 2R Mischa Zverev 6-1 6-3 M. Zverev 2016 FastFacts YTD W-L: 1-2 (0-1 on clay) YTD Titles: 0 / Career Titles: 0 Date of Birth: August 22, 1987 Emirates ATP Ranking: 129 Munich W-L (Best Result): 1-3 (2015 Round of 16) • Tournament Note: Qualified and beat Struff at 2015 Munich before falling to No. 3 Murray in 2R • Qualified and reached 2R at Marseille, retiring vs. Goffin due to neck injury • Also qualified at Houston, losing in 1R to Kudla 76 in 3rd • Led Fritz 40 in 3rd before falling in final round of Australian Open qualifying • Captured 5th Challenger title at Sarasota, USA (d. G. Melzer) • Advanced to Montpellier doubles final w/A. Zverev (d. Bhupathi/Marray, l. to Pavic/Venus) Giraldo 2016 FastFacts YTD W-L: 5-8 (3-4 on clay) YTD Titles: 0 / Career Titles: 0 Date of Birth: November 27, 1987 Emirates ATP Ranking: 97 Munich W-L (Best Result): 1-1 (2012 Round of 16) • Tournament Note: Defeated Darcis to reach 2012 Munich 2R (l. to Youzhny in 3 sets) • Won 1R matches at Australian Open, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and ATP Masters 1000 Miami • Reached Australian Open 2R for 5th time in career (d. Young, l. to Sousa) • Advanced to Canberra, AUS Challenger QF (d. Sela in 1R, l. to Dodig) Ivan Dodig (CRO) vs Ernests Gulbis (LAT) Dodig Leads 2-1 09 Zagreb (Croatia) Hard R16 Ivan Dodig 7-6(3) 6-4 11 ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati (U.S.A.) Hard R64 Ivan Dodig 6-3 7-6(3) 14 ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati (U.S.A.) Hard R64 Ernests Gulbis 7-6(8) 7-6(4) Dodig 2016 FastFacts YTD W-L: 3-6 (1-1 on clay) YTD Titles: 0 / Career Titles: 1 Date of Birth: January 2, 1985 Emirates ATP Ranking: 75 Munich W-L (Best Result): 3-3 (2013 Semi-finalist) • Tournament Note: Defeated Davydenko, Cilic and Dolgopolov en route to 2013 Munich SF (l.