Lorenzo Musetti (Italy) and Bernarda Pera (USA) are the names of the new sand court rulers in Hamburg! The two unseeded outsiders each won the final at the weekend and took home the unusual Rothenbaum trophy. The only downside of the tournament week: It remains uncertain whether the Hamburg European Open will continue to be held in its current form from 2024.
The spectators on the center court did not see a high-class final, but a highly dramatic one that brought back memories of the spectacular Rothenbaum duels between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer (2008 and 2009). Carlos Alcaráz fended off five match points and saved himself in the third set. But Lorenzo Musetti persisted and beat the Spaniard at his own game: smashing forehand, backhand longline, clever stops. “I dedicate the title to my grandmother and my parents, who are probably crying in front of the television right now,” Musetti said in the winner’s speech.
Hamburg: Lorenzo Musetti wins the ATP tournament at Rothenbaum
As in the previous year, there was a surprise winner for the women. The American Bernarda Pera won the final on Saturday, outclassing her opponent Anett Kontaveit (WTA 2, Estonia) 6:2, 6:4. It got emotional afterwards at the award ceremony, when she dedicated her title to her coach Kristijan Schneider, who died in April.
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For the first time since 1978, the tournament was again held as a combined event, with men’s and women’s matches being played in parallel. Tournament director Sandra Reichel: “For us it was a bit of a Grand Slam feeling this week.”
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Whether the Rothenbaum tournament will also take place in this form from 2024 remains uncertain. Despite major sponsors, subsidies from the city of Hamburg and almost 55,000 spectators who came to the facilities over the nine days of the tournament, the “Hamburg European Open” hardly makes any money. The black zero is there, but nothing more. The license is only valid for the coming year. Dietloff von Arnim, President of the German Tennis Association, said tight-lipped at yesterday’s press conference: “We are satisfied, but we also have alternatives from 2024.”
