PLAVA LAGUNA CROATIA OPEN UMAG: 17 JULY MEDIA NOTES ATP Stadion Umag, Croatia 16-22 July 2018 Draw: S-28, D-16 Prize Money: 501,345 Surface: Clay ATP World Tour Info Tournament Info ATP PR & Marketing ATPWorldTour.com CroatiaOpen.hr Stephanie Natal: snatal@atpworldtour.com Twitter: @ATPWorldTour @CroatiaOpenUmag Press Officer: press@croatiaopen.hr Facebook: @ATPWorldTour @ATPCroatiaOpenUmag TV & Radio: TennisTV.com GORAN IVANISEVIC STADIUM [9] Maximilian Marterer (GER) vs [WC] Nino Serdarusic (CRO) Marterer 2018 Summary 23 years old World No. 49 2018: 15-13 (Munich SF) Umag Main Draw Debut Achieved career-high No. 48 in ATP Rankings on 2 July. Entered 2018 with 0-14 career record. Advanced to 1st ATP QF at Sofia (l. to Basic) and 1st ATP SF at Munich (d. Schwartzman in 2R, l. to Kohlschreiber). Reached Australian Open 3R (l. to Sandgren) and Roland Garros 4R (d. Shapovalov in 2R, l. to No. 1 Nadal). Serdarusic 2018 Summary 21 years old Career-High No. 193 2018: 0-0 Tournament: 0-1 Seeking 1st ATP World Tour main draw win of career. Lost only prior ATP match at 2016 Umag (l. to Gabashvili). Achieved career-high No. 193 in ATP Rankings on 2 July. Won Grand Slam qualifying debut at Roland Garros (d. Majchrzak, l. to Bemelmans in Q2). Aljaz Bedene (SLO) vs [7] Joao Sousa (POR) Bedene Leads 2-0 Bedene 2018 Summary 28 years old World No. 81 2018: 18-14 (Buenos Aires F) Tournament: 4-5 (2013 QF) Advanced to 3rd ATP World Tour final at Buenos Aires (d. Schwartzman in QF, l. to Thiem). Achieved career-high No. 43 in ATP Rankings on 19 February after reaching Buenos Aires final. Earned biggest win of career over No. 7 Anderson to reach Rome 3R. Now 1-18 vs. Top 10 opponents. Sousa 2018 Summary 29 years old World No. 44 2018: 20-15 (Estoril Champion) Tournament: 5-5 (2015 Final) Saved 2 MPs vs. P. Sousa en route to Estoril title -- 1st Portuguese champion in tournament history (d. Tiafoe). Beat Top 10 players A. Zverev in Indian Wells 2R (l. to Raonic in 3R) and Goffin in Miami 2R (l. to Chung in 4R). Fell to No. 85 in ATP Rankings on 5 March -- lowest since No. 89 on 16 September 2013. [Q] Marco Trungelliti (ARG) vs [WC] Franko Skugor (CRO) Trungelliti 2018 Summary 28 years old World No. 188 2018: 2-2 Tournament: 1-2 (2012 2nd Round) Drove 10 hours from Barcelona to Paris with brother, mother and grandmother after learning he was LL at Roland Garros. Reached Roland Garros 2R for 3rd straight year, earning career-high 99,000 (d. Tomic, l. to Cecchinato). Qualified at Istanbul (d. E. Ymer, l. to Lorenzi in 2R). Lost in qualifying at Aus. Open, Montpellier and Wimbledon. Won 8 matches -- 6 over Italians -- to qualify and capture 1st ATP Challenger Tour title at Barletta, ITA (d. Bolelli). Skugor 2018 Summary 30 years old World No. 350 2018: 1-2 Tournament: 1-2 (2010 2nd Round) Won 1st 2 doubles titles w/inglot at Budapest (d. Middelkoop/Molteni) and s-hertogenbosch (d. Klaasen/Venus). Reached Wimbledon doubles SF for 2nd straight year -- 1st w/inglot (l. to M. Bryan/Sock in 5 sets). Achieved career-high No. 34 in ATP Doubles Rankings on 18 June. Qualified and earned only main draw singles win of season at Delray Beach (d. Bublik, l. to Chung in 2R). OUTER COURTS [Q] Rogerio Dutra Silva (BRA) vs [6] Robin Haase (NED) [8] Benoit Paire (FRA) vs Marton Fucsovics (HUN) Paire Leads 1-0 [Q] Martin Klizan (SLO) vs Nicolas Jarry (CHI) [WC] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) vs [LL] Alexey Vatutin (RUS) [Q] Stefano Travaglia (ITA) vs Jiri Vesely (CZE) Dusan Lajovic (SRB) vs Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) Basilashvili Leads 2-0 Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) vs Evgeny Donskoy (RUS)
PLAVA LAGUNA CROATIA OPEN UMAG: PREVIEW & 16 JULY MEDIA NOTES ATP Stadion Umag, Croatia 16-22 July 2018 Draw: S-28, D-16 Prize Money: 501,345 Surface: Clay ATP World Tour Info Tournament Info ATP PR & Marketing ATPWorldTour.com CroatiaOpen.hr Stephanie Natal: snatal@atpworldtour.com Twitter: @ATPWorldTour @CroatiaOpenUmag Press Officer: loretta.krota@gmail.com Facebook: @ATPWorldTour @ ATPCroatiaOpenUmag TV & Radio: TennisTV.com 10 THINGS TO WATCH IN UMAG 1) On the Surface: The clay-court circuit resumes and grass-court swing concludes at ATP World Tour 250 events in Umag, Bastad, and Newport this week. Defending champion Andrey Rublev returns from injury at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag. 2) Back to the Breakthrough: Rublev lost to Attila Balazs in qualifying at 2017 Umag before replacing Borna Coric and becoming the first lucky loser in eight years to win an ATP World Tour title. The #NextGenATP star started the 2018 season by reaching another final in Doha, but he has not played since 17 April due to a lower back stress fracture. Rublev is the No. 4 seed this week. 3) First Time for Everything: Great Britain s Kyle Edmund would have been a No. 1 seed for the first time on tour this week, to add to his season of firsts which includes his maiden Grand Slam semi-final at the Australian Open and first ATP World Tour singles final at Marrakech. However, Edmund withdrew due to a throat infection, freeing up a spot for a lucky loser instead. 4) Turning Point: No. 2 seed Damir Dzumhur ended 2017 on a 24-7 run, highlighted by his first two ATP World Tour titles at St. Petersburg and Moscow. But the 26-year-old Bosnian was 13-17 this season entering Antalya on 24 June. Dzumhur went on to win the third championship of his career. 5) Sicilian Sensation: In his last clay-court event at Roland Garros, Marco Cecchinato emerged as Italy s first Grand Slam semi-finalist since 1978. The Budapest champion trailed Marius Copil by two sets in the first round before beating 2016 champion Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals. 6) Champions Club: Cecchinato and Dzumhur are among the five players in the Umag field who have won an ATP World Tour title this season. Joao Sousa (Estoril), Taro Daniel (Istanbul) and Marton Fucsovics (Geneva) all won clay-court championships on the road to Roland Garros. 7) Most Improved: Maximilian Marterer was 0-14 entering 2018. He arrives in Umag with a winning record of 15-13 this season, highlighted by runs to the Round of 16 at Roland Garros, quarter-finals at Sofia, and semi-finals at Munich. Marterer won his sixth ATP Challenger Tour title in February. The German claimed a seeded position in the draw following Edmund s withdrawal. 8) Similar Story: Like Marterer, Nicolas Jarry is enjoying a breakout year. The 22-year-old Chilean had one ATP World Tour and four Davis Cup wins prior to this season. He s 14-8 on clay and 17-13 overall in 2018, reaching the Sao Paulo final over the winter with four straight three-set victories. 9) Next Big Thing: Umag wild card Felix Auger-Aliassime, 17, became the first player born in the 2000s to win a match at Indian Wells. Auger-Aliassime, Djokovic, Juan Martin del Potro, and Richard Gasquet are the only players to have ever won three Challenger titles before turning 18. 10) Fresh from Wimbledon: Croatia s own Franko Skugor will feature in singles and doubles. Skugor reached the Wimbledon doubles semi-finals in 2017 with Nikola Mektic and 2018 with Dominic Inglot, who will be his partner this week. In both semi-finals, Skugor and his partner fell in five sets.
Page 2 of 4 WHO TO WATCH THIS WEEK SINGLES SEED PLAYER W-L BEST TOURNAMENT FINISH 1 Kyle Edmund (GBR)* 0-0 Debut 2 Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 3-3 2016 Quarter-finals 3 Marco Cecchinato (ITA) 1-2 2017 2nd Round 4 Andrey Rublev (RUS) 5-1 2017 Champion 5 Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) 3-3 2011 Quarter-finals 6 Robin Haase (NED) 2-2 2007, 2011 2nd Round 7 Joao Sousa (POR) 5-5 2015 Finalist 8 Benoit Paire (FRA) 0-2 2014, 2017 1st Round 9 Maximilian Marterer (GER) 0-0 Debut *No. 1 seed Kyle Edmund has withdrawn from the main draw due to a throat infection. QUALIFIERS (4) TBD Monday LUCKY LOSER (1) TBD Monday DOUBLES OLDEST PLAYER Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) 36 years, 7 months WILD CARDS (3) Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) Nino Serdarusic (CRO) Franko Skugor (CRO) YOUNGEST PLAYER Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 17 years, 11 months TOP COUNTRY BREAKDOWN Croatia 2, Italy 2, Russia 2, Serbia 2 *Does not include qualifiers or lucky loser (TBD Monday) SEED TEAM W-L BEST TOURNAMENT FINISH 1 Dominic Inglot (GBR) 2-2 2017 Semi-finals Franko Skugor (CRO) 7-8 2014 Finalist 2 Robin Haase (NED) 0-0 Debut Matwe Middelkoop (NED) 0-0 Debut 3 Antonio Sancic (CRO) 4-3 2016 Finalist Andrei Vasilevski (BLR) 0-0 Debut 4 Jonathan Eysseric (FRA) 0-0 Debut Hugo Nys (FRA) 0-0 Debut ATP RANKING POINTS AND PRIZE MONEY Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag W F SF QF R16 R32 Singles Ranking Points 250 150 90 45 20 0 Singles Prize Money ( ) 89,435 47,105 25,515 14,535 8,565 5,075 Doubles Ranking Points 250 150 90 45 0 --- Doubles Prize Money ( ) 27,170 14,280 7,740 4,430 2,590 ---
Page 3 of 4 PAST FINALISTS SINGLES (since 2007) YEAR CHAMPION FINALIST SCORE 2017 Andrey Rublev (RUS) Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) 6-4, 6-2 2016 Fabio Fognini (ITA) Andrej Martin (SVK)* 6-4, 6-1 2015 Dominic Thiem (AUT) Joao Sousa (POR) 6-4, 6-1 2014 Pablo Cuevas (URU) Tommy Robredo (ESP) 6-3, 6-4 2013 Tommy Robredo (ESP) Fabio Fognini (ITA) 6-0, 6-3 2012 Marin Cilic (CRO) Marcel Granollers (ESP) 6-4, 6-2 2011 Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) Marin Cilic (CRO) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 2010 Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) Potito Starace (ITA) 6-4, 6-4 2009 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) 6-3, 6-0 2008 Fernando Verdasco (ESP) Igor Andreev (RUS) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) 2007 Carlos Moya (ESP) Andrei Pavel (ROU) 6-4, 6-2 BOLD: Player in 2018 Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag singles draw. * 2016 finalist Andrej Martin has reached the final round of qualifying. DOUBLES (since 2007) YEAR CHAMPION FINALIST SCORE 2017 Guillermo Duran/Andres Molteni Marin Draganja/Tomislav Draganja 6-3, 6-7(4), [10-6] 2016 Martin Klizan/David Marrero Nikola Mektic/Antonio Sancic 6-4, 6-2 2015 Maximo Gonzalez/Andre Sa Mariusz Fyrstenberg/Santiago Gonzalez 4-6, 6-3, [10-5] 2014 Frantisek Cermak/Lukas Rosol Dusan Lajovic/Franko Skugor 6-4, 7-6(5) 2013 Martin Klizan/David Marrero Nicholas Monroe/Simon Stadler 6-1, 5-7, [10-7] 2012 David Marrero/Fernando Verdasco Marcel Granollers/Marc Lopez 6-3, 7-6(4) 2011 Simone Bolelli/Fabio Fognini Marin Cilic/Lovro Zovko 6-3, 5-7, [10-7] 2010 Leos Friedl/Filip Polasek Frantisek Cermak/Michal Mertinak 6-3, 7-6(7) 2009 Frantisek Cermak/Michal Mertinak Johan Brunstrom/Jean-Julien Rojer 6-4, 6-4 2008 Michal Mertinak/Petr Pala Carlos Berlocq/Fabio Fognini 2-6, 6-3, [10-5] 2007 Lukas Dlouhy/Michal Mertinak Jaroslav Levinsky/David Skoch 6-1, 6-1 BOLD: Player in 2018 Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag doubles draw. Lajovic/Skugor is not an intact team this week. FEDEX ATP HEAD2HEADS: MONDAY FIRST-ROUND SINGLES MATCHES GORAN IVANISEVIC STADIUM Guido Pella (ARG) vs Taro Daniel (JPN) Pella 2018 Summary 28 years old World No. 72 17-16 in 2018 Umag Debut 2 Career Finals (0-2) Beat No. 5 Cilic from 2 sets down for biggest win of career in Wimbledon 2R (l. to McDonald in 1st Grand Slam 3R). Advanced to 2nd hard-court SF of career at Doha (l. to Rublev after holding 1 MP). Lost to eventual champions in QFs at Buenos Aires (l. to Thiem) and Stuttgart (l. to Federer). Defeated Querrey in 3rd-set TBs to reach QFs at Houston (l. to Sandgren) and Geneva (l. to Johnson). Clinched Argentina s 3-2 win over Chile in Davis Cup Group I (d. Garin). Daniel 2018 Summary 25 years old World No. 89 7-9 in 2018 Umag Debut 2018 Istanbul Champion (1st Title) Advanced to 1st SF and final en route to 1st ATP World Tour title at Istanbul (d. Chardy and Jaziri). Enjoyed more victories in Istanbul (5) than entire 2017 season (4). Earned biggest win of career over 5-time champion Djokovic to reach Indian Wells 3R as Q (l. to L. Mayer). Returned to Turkey and qualified at Antalya (l. to Garcia-Lopez in 1R). Achieved career-high No. 80 in ATP Rankings on 21 May. Reached 14th ATP Challenger Tour final at Poznan, POL (l. to Hurkacz).
Page 4 of 4 Laslo Djere (SRB) vs Pablo Cuevas (URU) Djere 2018 Summary 23 years old World No. 100 4-10 in 2018 0-1 in Umag (2015 1st Round as qualifier) Advanced to 2nd ATP World Tour SF at Istanbul (l. to Jaziri). Captured 2nd ATP Challenger Tour title of career at Milan, ITA (d. Mager). Challenger runner-up at Rome, ITA (l. to Pavlasek) and Prostejov, CZE (d. Garcia-Lopez in 3rd-set TB, l. to Munar). Qualified at Lyon (l. to Carballes Baena in 1R). Achieved career-high No. 85 in ATP Rankings on 15 January. Went on 10-match losing streak from 3 January-29 April, including tour-level, qualifying and Challenger matches. Cuevas 2018 Summary 32 yrs old World No. 74 16-12 in 2018 7-3 in Umag (2014 Champion) 6 Career Titles Fell to Fognini in Sao Paulo SF as 3-time defending champion, ending 15-match winning streak at tournament. Advanced to Rio de Janeiro QF (d. Monteiro after saving 3 MPs in 1R, l. to Jarry). Defeated Shapovalov and Thiem en route to ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells 4R (l. to Chung). Beat Sock and Ramos-Vinolas to reach ATP Masters 1000 Madrid 3R (l. to Isner in 3 TBs). Squandered 3 MPs vs. Verdasco in ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo 1R. Dropped to No. 81 in ATP Rankings on 11 June -- lowest since No. 111 on 7 July 2014. Teamed with little brother Martin and reached Prostejov, CZE Challenger doubles final (l. to Molchanov/Zelenay). Did not drop a set in 6 matches for Uruguay during Davis Cup Group II wins over El Salvador and Venezuela. FEDEX ATP HEAD2HEADS: REMAINING FIRST-ROUND SINGLES MATCHES Dusan Lajovic (SRB) vs Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) Basilashvili Leads 2-0 16 Kitzbühel (Austria) Clay SF Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3 6-1 18 Antalya (Turkey) Grass R16 Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4 2-6 7-5 Other Meeting 16 Beijing Q (China) Hard Q1 Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-7(4) 7-5 6-4 Aljaz Bedene (SLO) vs [7] Joao Sousa (POR) Bedene Leads 2-0 13 Chennai (India) Hard R32 Aljaz Bedene 6-3 6-2 17 Umag (Croatia) Clay R32 Aljaz Bedene 6-3 4-6 6-4 [9] Maximilian Marterer (GER) vs [WC] Nino Serdarusic (CRO) [8] Benoit Paire (FRA) vs Marton Fucsovics (HUN) Paire Leads 1-0 18 Pune (India) Hard R16 Benoit Paire 6-4 6-7(4) 7-6(6) Other Meeting 17 Sophia Antipolis CH (France) Clay QF Benoit Paire 7-5 6-3 Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) vs Evgeny Donskoy (RUS) Other Meetings 09 Ivory Coast F2 (Ivory Coast) Hard R16 Paolo Lorenzi 6-4 6-2 16 Canberra CH (Australia) Hard QF Paolo Lorenzi 6-4 6-1 *Does not include matches with qualifiers or lucky loser (TBD Monday)