Erste Bank Open 500, Vienna, ATP 500

[Billie]

DATE: 24.10 - 30.10. 2016
SURFACE: Hard
PRIZE MONEY: €1,884,645
FIELD SIZE: 32
DEFENDING CHAMPION: David Ferrer

Seeds:

1. A. Murray
2. T. Berdych
3. D. Thiem
4. R. Bautista Agut
5. D. Ferrer
6. JW Tsonga
7. L. Pouille
8. I. Karlovic

The Tournament:

The Austrian capital of Vienna is the country's most populous city with 1.7 million residents and the nation's cultural, political and business centre. The Erste Bank Open 500, played each year in late October, is regularly frequented by the world's Top 10 players, with 18 of the 25 ATP World Tour's No. 1 players having competed in Vienna.

About City

Vienna is old, Vienna is new – and so varied: from the magnificent Baroque buildings to “golden” Art Nouveau to the latest architecture. And over 100 museums beckon.

Walk in the footsteps of the Habsburgs, visit the splendid baroque Schönbrunn and Belvedere Palaces, or stroll along the magnificent Ring Boulevard and take a look at the heart of the former vast Habsburg empire, the Imperial Palace. Get a sense of the luster and glory of the old empire by visiting St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Spanish Riding School, the Giant Ferris Wheel at the Prater, as well as the sarcophagi in the Imperial Vault.

Vienna's Ringstrasse is 5.3 kilometers long. Long enough to provide space for numerous monumental buildings, which were built during the period of Historicism in the 1860s to 1890s. Today, the buildings that stand there – from the Vienna State Opera to the Museum of Fine Arts – are among the most important sights in the city of Vienna.

You can walk over 1,716 bridges … at least you can in Vienna. Vienna actually has four times as many bridges as Venice. Just as interesting in terms of their architecture are the many historic fountains that dot Vienna’s streets and make it one of the most livable cities in the world. Ultimately, Vienna’s spring water flows from the drinking fountains!

Welcome to the world’s music capital! More famous composers have lived here than in any other city – in Vienna, music is literally in the air: Waltzes and operettas have their home here, and so do musicals "made in Vienna," which have conquered international audiences. Almost every street in Vienna city center can recount stories of famous composers - including Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart, Brahms, Gluck, Vivaldi, Strauss, Salieri, Schubert, Schönberg, Bruckner and many more ...

Tourism Guide:

 

[Tennis Fan]

Pretty good draw! Where's Novak?

 

[Billie]

Pretty good draw! Where's Novak?

He stopped playing these two tournaments a few years back. Just Paris and London for him.

Between the two ATP 500 tournaments next week, most of top players are playing so it should be a pretty exciting week for tennis.

 

[Tennis Fan]

He stopped playing these two tournaments a few years back. Just Paris and London for him.

Between the two ATP 500 tournaments next week, most of top players are playing so it should be a pretty exciting week for tennis.

Thanks for that. I expected him to play since Andy is obviously gaining on him, or is he? Either way, it's still a pretty smart decision. Those guys are going to be tuckered out by the time the Finals come and Novak will be as fresh as a daisy.

 

[britbox]

The Draw:

 

[britbox]

 

[Mastoor]

It's interesting story about those motley buildings like the one above. They were designed by famous Austrian architect Fridensreich Hundertwasser. I've learned about him only when my child had to find out as much as possible about him for homework. He spent last years of his life in New Zealand where they didn't use him to design anything else but interior of a public toilet in Kawakawa. As soon as I read his surname I realised it was translated from Serbian and indeed his family was originally called Stovoda (100 waters). His first name Friedrich or Friedensreich is actually translated Serbian name Miroslav. So, if someone ask you, Roger's wife should be called Frederica Federer.

 

[Mastoor]

As for the tournament, I cheer for everyone in Murray's way. Why not? Nole had Federer and Nadal in his way to number 1, Murray has no one worth mentioning having both Federer and Nadal injured and Novak obviously went bananas. Interestingly, I like all the players in Murray's half except Gerlad Melzer who i don't know. Is he related to the other Melzer who beat Nole at RG in 2010? That was Nole's worst defeat ever. Well, before this one against RBA.

Even though the change is very much inevitable, I'd like Nole to stay at number one for the rest of the year for two reasons. Firstly, so he has another eoy number 1 title and also because he would have some more weeks added so he can have a better chance to overtake Connors and Lendl on the list. They are around 50 weeks in front of No1e who is #1 for 222 weeks currently (that is 52 weeks more than Johnny Mac, who'd ever say so).

 

[britbox]

Results from the Vienna Open Men's Singles Round 1 matches on Monday

Nikoloz Basilashvili (Georgia) beat 2-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 6-4 6-7(5) 7-5
John Isner (U.S.) beat Jan-Lennard Struff (Germany) 6-7(1) 6-3 6-4
Damir Dzumhur (Bosnia and Herzegovina) beat Nicolas Almagro (Spain) 6-3 5-7 6-0
8-Ivo Karlovic (Croatia) beat Steve Johnson (U.S.) 7-6(5) 6-3
Karen Khachanov (Russia) beat Andreas Seppi (Italy) 6-4 6-4

 

[britbox]

Nikoloz Basilashvili (Georgia) beat 2-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 6-4 6-7(5) 7-5

 

[britbox]

 

[britbox]

 

[britbox]

 

[britbox]

As for the tournament, I cheer for everyone in Murray's way. Why not? Nole had Federer and Nadal in his way to number 1, Murray has no one worth mentioning having both Federer and Nadal injured and Novak obviously went bananas. Interestingly, I like all the players in Murray's half except Gerlad Melzer who i don't know. Is he related to the other Melzer who beat Nole at RG in 2010? That was Nole's worst defeat ever. Well, before this one against RBA.

Even though the change is very much inevitable, I'd like Nole to stay at number one for the rest of the year for two reasons. Firstly, so he has another eoy number 1 title and also because he would have some more weeks added so he can have a better chance to overtake Connors and Lendl on the list. They are around 50 weeks in front of No1e who is #1 for 222 weeks currently (that is 52 weeks more than Johnny Mac, who'd ever say so).

Murray is definitely zoning in on it now. Inevitable?

 

[Mastoor]

He will be #1 in 2 weeks (7 November) if Novak doesn't make the final in Paris and Murray does. That's how close he is.

 

[Billie]

It's interesting story about those motley buildings like the one above. They were designed by famous Austrian architect Fridensreich Hundertwasser. I've learned about him only when my child had to find out as much as possible about him for homework. He spent last years of his life in New Zealand where they didn't use him to design anything else but interior of a public toilet in Kawakawa. As soon as I read his surname I realised it was translated from Serbian and indeed his family was originally called Stovoda (100 waters). His first name Friedrich or Friedensreich is actually translated Serbian name Miroslav. So, if someone ask you, Roger's wife should be called Frederica Federer.

Yes, the last time we were there (in 2011), we went and saw the Hundertwasser apartment building for the first time. It has a lovely design, with nice colors, trees, bushes all nicely incorporated in the building and its surroundings, I wish I could go and see the inside of one of the apartments, but there are enough photos of them online to see. He didn't take any monetary compensation for it saying that it was worth it, he prevented something ugly to be erected in its place so that was enough of reward for him. I am glad you commented on it. It was a highlight of my last visit. Mozart Kugeln are always highlight of my visit to Wien.

 

[Billie]

He will be #1 in 2 weeks (7 November) if Novak doesn't make the final in Paris and Murray does. That's how close he is.

And Murray must win Vienna, so we better cheer that somebody derails him from it.

And yes, Gerald Melzer is a younger brother of Jurgen. I think they were born in Vienna.

 

[Billie]

Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Day 4
CENTRE COURT 1:00 pm
1st Rd Kyle Edmund VS (5) David Ferrer
Followed By
1st Rd Feliciano Lopez VS (7) Lucas Pouille
Not Before 4:30 pm
1st Rd (6) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga VS (Q) Benjamin Becker
Followed By
1st Rd (3) Dominic Thiem VS (WC) Gerald Melzer
Followed By
1st Rd (WC) Jurgen Melzer VS (4) Roberto Bautista Agut
COURT B 1:00 pm
1st Rd Kevin Anderson VS Viktor Troicki
Followed By
1st Rd Guillermo Garcia-Lopez VS Gilles Simon
Followed By
1st Rd Joao Sousa VS Pablo Cuevas

 

[Mastoor]

And Murray must win Vienna, so we better cheer that somebody derails him from it.

And yes, Gerald Melzer is a younger brother of Jurgen. I think they were born in Vienna.

I think even the final works for Murray in Vienna if he wins Paris. We need Nole to wake up from his oriental madness and starts playing his best.

 

[Mastoor]

Some unexpected results

Q) Nikoloz Basilashvili Defeats (2) Tomas Berdych 64 675 75
(3) Dominic Thiem Defeats (WC) Gerald Melzer 60 63
(WC) Jurgen Melzer Defeats (4) Roberto Bautista Agut 63 75
(5) David Ferrer Defeats Kyle Edmund 32 (RET)
(6) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Defeats (Q) Benjamin Becker 63 64
Feliciano Lopez Defeats (7) Lucas Pouille 64 26 75
(8) Ivo Karlovic Defeatts Steve Johnson 765 63
(Q) Damir Dzumhur Defeats Nicolas Almagro 63 57 60
John Isner Defeats (Q) Jan-Lennard Struff 671 63 64
(WC) Karen Khachanov Defeats Andreas Seppi 64 64
Gilles Simon Defeats Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 64 75
Joao Sousa Defeats Pablo Cuevas 63 30 (RET)
Viktor Troicki Defeats Kevin Anderson 46 765 75