Portuguese tennis player João Sousa today received the first ‘wild card’ awarded by the Estoril Open, which will take place between April 24 and May 2 at the Estoril Tennis Club, where he won the title in 2018.
The Guimaraes native, who is celebrating his 32nd birthday today, is ranked 103 in the world rankings and was the only Portuguese unable to reach the ATP 250 main board directly, so was presented with an invitation to play the tournament, That this year would be played without an audience due to the restrictions imposed in the wake of the Kovid-19 epidemic.
João Sosa has three ATP titles in its history, achieved Kuala Lumpur in 2013, Valencia at the Estoril Open in 2015 and 2018, and holds a Portuguese best classification in the world rankings since finishing 28th in May. 16, 2016.
After finishing, in October 2019, his left leg fractured in the early stage of the season and the Kovid-19 epidemic shortened the 2020 season, the year in which he contracted a tendonitis in his right forearm in October at the tournament. Antwerp , João Susa is registering a downward trend in the world hierarchy, leaving the top 100 for the first time after nearly eight years.
But this season, after winning the first win against German Mischa Zverev in the qualifying stage of ATP 250 in Acapulco, he won the first round of the Miami Masters 1,000, thus ending the winning streak in the main ATP tournament. The Shanghai Masters ran since 1,000 in October 2019.
“We have a very strong team and João, due to injuries last year, lost some places in the ‘rankings’ and was unable to enter directly. But he deserves this ‘wild card’, for all reasons and some more, to be the best Portuguese of all time, to win the tournament and all the courses he has. He deserves it and we want to rely on João Sousa’s presence in our tournament as usual ”as João Zilhão, Director of the ATP Tour’s Portuguese Tournament.
Five players in the top 20
The Estoril Open will be counted on the participation of world number nine Argentine Diego Schwartzman, who reached eighth place in the ATP rankings in October 2020, and will make his debut in the soil of Estoril.
28-year-old Diego Schwartzman has qualified for 16 rounds of the Miami Masters 1,000, the first time in six appearances since winning his fourth title this season, in 11 finals played in his career, at the ATP 250 in Buenos Aires. . However, the most important trophy was won at the ATP 500 Rio Open in 2018.
Coached by Estanil Open champion Juan Ignacio Chella at Jamor in 2004, Diego Sartzman, who was only eliminated in the Roland Garros semi-finals in 2020 by Spanish Rafael Nadal, would thus be the sixth Argentine player to try his luck. The only Portuguese ATP event is Dust Brick, with former champions David Nalbandian (2002 and 2006), Juan Ignacio Chella (2004), Gaston Gádio (2005), Juan Martin del Potro (2011 and 2012) and Carlos Halococ (2014). .
“We are very happy to receive Schwartzman for the first time. He is an exceptional player who managed to reach the semi-finals of Roland Garros last year, losing only to Nadal. Everyone loves to watch him play great tennis, and he is one of the lowest tennis players on the circuit and proves that men do not measure themselves in the span ”, statements by Estoril Open director João Zilho said in. Agency lusa
In addition to Schwartzman, the Estoril Open will add four more players to the ‘top 20’ of the world hierarchy in 2017, with Frenchman Gayle Monfils, 14th in the ‘Ranking’ ATP of 2017, Spaniard and Champion in Estoril CT. Pablo Carreno Busta (15th ATP), Italian Fabio Fognini (17th ATP), Chilean Christian Garin (20th ATP).
Of the first 80, Frenchman Ugo Humbert (30th), Benoit Pyre (33rd), Jeremy Chardy (49th) and Richard Gasquet (50th in 2015 and champions) also Estoril Ct. Serbian Filip Krajinovic (35) will be in Kazakh. Alexander Bublik (44), Spaniards Albert Ramos Vinolas (47), Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (55), Pablo Andujar (61) and Fernando Verdasco (72), South African Lloyd Harris (52), Briton Cameron Norrie (56), North American Francis Tiafoe (58) and Australian Jordan Thompson (60).
“We will have five of the top 20 players, a record for the Estoril Open, and it shows that the picture is very strong. We also have three champions, Gasket, Carreno Busta and Joao Sousa, who make us very happy, as well as the return of Monfils and Fognini is very special. They are two of the most charismatic players in the circuit and are clearly excellent for television audiences, especially in a year when the event will be purely television and digital, ”said the race director.
Initial entry list
With direct access Ranking age
1. Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 9. Sch 28
2. Gayle Monfils (FRA) 14.el 34
3. Pablo Carreno-Busta (ESP) 15.. 29
4. Fabio Fognini (ITA) 17.. 33
5. Christian Garin (ARG) 20.ian 24
6. Ugo Humbert (FRA) 30.go 22
7. Benoit Pyre (FRA) 33.o 31
8. Filip Krajinovic (SER) 35.. 29
9. Alexander Bublik (CAZ) 44.. 23
10. Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) 47.. 33
11. Jerry Chardy (FRA) 49.. 34
12. Richard Gascraft (FRA) 50.º 34
13. Lloyd Harris (RAS) 52.. 24
14. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 55th 21
15. Cameron Norrie (GBR) 56.on 25
16. Frances Tiafoe (USA) 58th 23
17. Jordan Thompson (AUS) 60. Jordan 26
18. Pablo Andujar (ESP) 61st 35
19. Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 72nd 37
Substitute player
20. Pablo Cuevas (URU) 73.. 35
21. Pierre-Hughes Herbert (FRA) 74.. 30
Corentin Musset (FRA) 75.. 21
23. Sunwoon Kwon (Cor) 79.. 23
24. Federico Delbonis (ARG) 80.. 30
25. Lucas Pauil (FRA) 81.º 27
26. Federico Correa (ARG) 84.. 29
27. Salvatore Caruso (ITA) 85.. 28
28. Kevin Anderson (AFS) 91. Kevin 34
29. Juan Ignacio Lonadero (ARG) 92.. 28
30. Pedro Martinez (ESP) 93rd 23rd
31. Roberto Carball Baena (ESP) 96.. 27
32. Jame Munar (ESP) 99th 23rd
33. Joao Sosa (POR) 103. 31 * WILDCARD
Note: According to the organization of the Estoril Open, 19 tennis players with direct entry will join two special discount (Or two options, if there are no players in that situation), four qualifiers and three wild cards. The list definitely closes at 6 pm on Wednesday 31 March.
