by Patrick FAVRE | 19 May, 2024 | News_slider-en, News_Tournoi-en
Sebastian Baez (ATP 19) and David Goffin (114) lit up Whitsun in front of another sell-out crowd to go with Saturday’s, further proof that the 2024 Gonet Geneva Open is the place to be this week.
An ATP 500 winner in Rio and ATP 250 champion in Santiago already this year, Sebastian Baez (in the photo) showed on his first outing at the Parc des Eaux-Vives why he is Argentina’s No. 1. Taking on India’s Sumit Nagal (93 in the ATP Tour Ranking) in the round of 32, he overcame a sticky start to the match to win 7-6 (9-7) 6-3. With a quarter-final against Casper Ruud potentially in the offing, Baez will now face Roberto Carballes Baena (62) in the last 16. The Spaniard beat Daniel Altmaier (78) 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 in the day’s second match in the main round.
David Goffin did not hang around in his qualifier on Court 2, the Belgian taking only 51 minutes to make sure of his place in the main draw with a comprehensive 6-1 6-0 win over Gijs Brouwer of the Netherlands (241). Having arrived from Turin on Friday night, the 33-year-old Goffin is not about to call time on his wonderful career just yet. Now recovered from a neck injury, the 2017 ATP World Tour Finals runner-up is intent on having a good year. And there seems no reason why he cannot make a positive start to it at the Gonet Geneva Open, where his first-round opponent will be another qualifier in Nicolas Moreno De Alboran of the USA (136).
by Patrick FAVRE | 18 May, 2024 | News_slider-en, News_Tournoi-en, Uncategorized
As feared, luck was not on Switzerland’s side in the first round of the Qualifying tournament on Saturday. Antoine Bellier (ATP No.345), Damien Wenger (No.381) and Jakub Paul (No.516) all tasted the bitterness of defeat. As a consequence, for the first time in the tournament’s history, there will be no Swiss players in the main draw of the Gonet Geneva Open.
Though Bellier and Wenger – who were defeated 6-3 6-4 by the Netherlands’ Gijs Brouwer (No.241) and 6-2 6-4 by Jordan’s Abdullah Shelbayh (No.244), respectively – suffered convincing losses, Paul briefly had victory within reach. The player from Grisons took Argentina’s Juan Pablo Ficovich (No.232) to three sets. At 5-3 in the decider, Paul did not take advantage of the break point to get back into the match.
The man to watch in the Qualifying tournament, former World No.7 David Goffin (No.114) managed to live up to his status. In the sold-out venue, the Belgian defeated Italy’s Gianluca Mager 6-3 6-1 to round off the day in style. Tickets are also sold-out for Sunday, Monday and Wednesday.
Another high point of the day was the press conference held by Andy Murray. The former World No.1 complimented the venue and added that he was excited at the prospect of playing Novak Djokovic on Wednesday. “We haven’t played each other in a while,” he said, smiling. The last time was back in January 2017, when Djokovic defeated Murray in the final in Doha.
by adminsc | 17 May, 2024 | News_slider-en, News_Tournoi-en
A Djokovic – Murray clash in the Round of 16?
Could the Gonet Geneva Open be the setting for the last match ever to be played between two members of the Big Four? Following the draw, which was made on Friday in the Lyrique restaurant, Andy Murray might well be Novak Djokovic’s first opponent if he defeats Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann (ATP No.32).
Benefitting from a bye in the first round, Novak Djokovic could come up against two other big-hitters on his way to the final, in the shape of Denis Shapovalov and Taylor Fritz. Casper Ruud and Ben Shelton will be the men to beat in the other half of the draw. A possible clash between Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray lent even more weight to the words spoken by the City of Geneva’s administrative councillor, Marie Barbey-Chappuis, when she said, “The Gonet Geneva Open is the pride of Geneva.”
Three years after Roger Federer’s appearance, the presence of both Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray makes the Gonet Geneva Open shine even brighter. The event has undoubtedly become the most prestigious ATP 250 tournament in the calendar, having attracted eleven of the world’s top 50 players.
by adminsc | 17 May, 2024 | News_slider-en, News_Tournoi-en
Novak Djokovic at the Gonet Geneva Open
World number 1 and 24-time Grand Slam champion, Novak Djokovic will be on the courts of the Parc des Eaux-Vives next week! He has been awarded the third wild card by the Gonet Geneva Open.
Novak Djokovic has decided to play an extra tournament to perfect his condition before the French Open at Roland-Garros. He knows that Geneva will provide him with the ideal setting and quality opposition he is looking for.
With Novak Djokovic and also Andy Murray, who has been awarded the first wild card, the 2024 edition of the Gonet Geneva Open will bring together two members of the Big Four. With the presence of Casper Ruud (ATP 7), a former two-time winner of the tournament, Taylor Fritz (ATP 13) and Ben Shelton (ATP 14), the Gonet Geneva Open presents the strongest line-up in its history.
by adminsc | 17 May, 2024 | News_slider-en, News_Tournoi-en
A wild card for Denis Shapovalov
A runner-up in 2021, Denis Shapovalov (ATP 126) is returning to the Gonet Geneva Open. The 25-year-old Canadian left-hander has been awarded the second wild card by the organisers.
World No. 10 in September 2021 before suffering a serious knee injury, Denis Shapovalov is back in business this year. He beat Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Miami Masters 1000.
A semi-finalist at Wimbledon in 2021, quarter-finalist at the Australian Open in 2022 and at the US Open in 2020, the Canadian has often played well at major tournaments. His record includes one title – Stockholm 2019 – and five finals, including those in Geneva in 2021 against Casper Ruud and the Paris-Bercy Masters 1000 in 2019 against Novak Djokovic.
Andy Murray has been awarded the first of the three wild cards available to the organisers of the Gonet Geneva Open. The third will be awarded this afternoon.
by adminsc | 14 May, 2024 | News_slider-en, News_Tournoi-en
Two wild cards for the Swiss
As part of its ongoing commitment to promoting Swiss tennis, the Gonet Geneva Open is once again opening its door for Swiss players to compete. Antoine Bellier and Jakub Paul have been awarded a wild card for the doubles. The same Antoine Bellier was also invited by the tournament management to take part in the qualifying rounds.
Dominic Stricker’s first success on the ATP Tour was at the Gonet Geneva Open in 2021. With a back injury, the player from Bern is unfortunately unable to play in this year’s tournament.
Semi-finalist at the ATP 250 Majorca in 2022, Antoine Bellier (ATP 345) will attempt to reach the main draw of the Gonet Geneva Open for the first time. In front of “his” public, the left-hander will have a great card to play. His two titles on the Challenger Tour underline just how dangerous the local player from Geneva can be on a good day.
In the doubles, Antoine Bellier can count on the support of Jakub Paul, who has won four titles on the ITF Tour this year. The Graubünden native won all four alongside Britain’s Ben Jones. He had a great victory at the Gonet Geneva Open in 2022, winning in the 1st round alongside Leandro Riedi against the double team Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares, whose record includes two Grand Slam titles.
