Adrian Andreev and Dimitar Kuzmanov grab Sofia Open wild cards
The multi-functional hall “Armeec Arena” with the capacity of 12,000 will host the fourth edition of Sofia Open between February 4-10 and the organizers have already signed a great field of players, led by seven top-30 players and a three-time Grand Slam champion. Karen Khachanov, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Nikoloz Basilashvili, 2016 champion Roberto Bautista Agut, Fernando Verdasco, Gael Monfils and Stan Wawrinka will compete for the title and it should be a great week of tennis in the Bulgarian capital two weeks after the Australian Open.
In addition, Dimitar Kuzmanov and Adrian Andreev have already earned main draw wild cards, gaining another opportunity to play in front of the home crowd and seek valuable ATP points. The 25-year-old Dimitar Kuzmanov is on a career-high 251st spot in the rankings after an impressive 40-4 score in Futures, winning five titles from eight finals. In addition, Dimitar reached the semi-final in Buenos Aires Challenger at the end of the season, the first at that level, and he will now seek the place in the top-200 in 2019. Kuzmanov will play in Sofia for the fourth straight year, receiving a wild card in the previous three editions as well but losing in the opening round against Ricardas Berankis, Robin Haase and Joao Sousa.
The 17-year-old Adrian Andreev is one of the best juniors in the world and he became the first player born in 2001 who played in the main draw of the ATP tournament when he got the invitation last February. Adrian had a great season behind him, winning the 59th Trofeo Bonfiglio and losing in the final of the European Junior Championships in Klosters. He also won the US Open doubles crown to finish the season in the top-5, focusing on his junior career and playing only one match at the pro level here in Sofia, losing to Denis Istomin in the first round.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2GtCPwA
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