Florian Leitgeb, tournament director of the Danube Upper Austria Open in Mauthausen, has an excellent connection to tennis star Dominic Thiem, whom he gave a challenger stage last minute in Marbella for his comeback match after a seven-month injury break. Nevertheless, it was never up for debate that the 28-year-old US Open champion of 2020 would serve in the main competition in the Perg district, which starts today (10 a.m., tickets from 10 euros), in order to be able to get more match practice.
Thiem’s choice fell on Madrid, where he has to defend a semi-final and thus 360 points from the previous year. The Lichtenwörther, who will meet Andy Murray (Gbr) in the “Night Session” today (8 p.m., Sky Sport Austria), is threatened with falling out of the top 100 in the world. He is currently number 93 but confident of clinching his first win since May 12, 2021 (3-6, 7-6, 6-0 against Marton Fucsovics in Rome).
“It’s getting better every day. It’s only possible with hard work, the path you’ve taken fits,” said Thiem, who keeps his fingers crossed for his Austrian compatriots in Mauthausen from a distance.
With the exception of Sebastian Ofner, who will be on duty in Prague, all ÖTV aces from the second row will be part of the Challenger premiere. Dennis Novak and Jurij Rodionov said that ÖTV sports director Jürgen Melzer equipped brother Gerald Melzer, Lukas Neumayer and Filip Misolic with wild cards for the first round. From the quarter-finals (Friday), ORF Sport+ will be broadcasting live from Mauthausen, where part one of the qualification took place yesterday.
Lucas Miedler, who triumphed in doubles in Ostrava alongside Alexander Erler (Union Stein&Co. Mauthausen) on Saturday, started with a 7:6, 6:2 victory over Johannes Haereis (D). The number 1 of the tournament, Jan-Lennard Struff (D), canceled.
Source: Nachrichten
