Rohan Bopanna‘s promising run at the Gerry Weber Open came to an end earlier today. The Indian tennis ace lost his Round 1 match against Dutchman Thiemo De Bakker, 4-6, 6-7.
Bopanna made his way to the main draw at Halle/Westfalen (Germany) with an impressive campaign in the qualifiers. The Indian Davis Cupper started off with a 7-6, 6-4 victory against Kevin Krawietz (Germany) and made no mistake, while going past Adrian Bossel (Switzerland) to enter Round 3 of the qualifiers. Bopanna faced Ruben Bemelmans from Belgium in the final qualifying match, which he won 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 in a three -set encounter.
India’s second player in the tournament, Prakash Amritraj, suffered a shocking defeat in the first round of the qualifiers on Saturday. Amritraj was expected to have an easy match against Sergey Bubka Jr., the son of the legendary Ukrainian pole vaulter. But Bubka had the luck on his side and won closely contested the match 7-5, 7-5.
Meanwhile, the Gerry Weber Open and Roger Federer have signed a unique partnership for the remainder of Federer’s playing career. On Sunday, tournament director Ralf Weber and the Swiss signed an agreement which ensures Federer will participate in Germany’s only grass court tournament until he ends his career.
“Germany’s tennis fans can be glad that they will get to see Roger playing at the GERRY WEBER OPEN for many more years to come,” said Ralf Weber. “I am convinced that he will be serving here still in 2015.” Weber and Federer signed the ‘Lifetime Contract’ in front of a mass collection of TV teams, reporters and photographers at the Gerry Weber Sportpark Hotel in Halle/Westfalen.
The Gerry Weber Open is one of five grass court tournaments on the ATP World Tour calendar, and provides players with their first chance to play on the surface in the two-week lead-up to Wimbledon.
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