Halle’s “Jade” Anniversary - UBITENNIS

Halle’s “Jade” Anniversary

A look ahead to the biggest tennis tournament in Germany.

By Staff
3 Min Read

By Mark Winters and Cheryl Jones

The Gerry Weber Open, played in Halle Westphalia, is twenty-six years old this year. In Germany, jade is the traditional twenty-sixth anniversary gift, and in this case, it’s fitting. There are a number of meanings associated with this particular gemstone. One of the most apt is harmony and balance. In last year’s dream final, Roger Federer put on one of his trademark elegant performances when he dispatched Alexander Zverev, 6-1, 6-3 in a mere fifty-three minutes. It was his ninth tournament title.

Federer, who has a life-time contract with the event as well as a local street named for him, returns to defend his title. Zverev, who hails from Hamburg and has a three-year contract with the tournament, will also be on hand. Those two are the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, and the headliners for the ATP 500 championship event.

Dominic Thiem of Austria, the Roland Garros finalist who had a memorable season on terre battue, is the No. 3 seed, and Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain is slotted in at No. 4. Lucas Pouille of France; the ever-popular German player, Philipp Kohlschreiber, the 2011 tournament winner; Halle regular Kei Nishikori of Japan, who was a semifinalist in 2014 and ’15; and 2017 semifinalist Richard Gasquet of France, occupy the remaining No. 5 through No. 8 seeding positions.

As is always the case, at Halle, the very first tennis championship to feature a rain resisting closeable roof that covers its center court, there is an impressive collection of dangerous performers, upset artists if you will, sprinkled throughout the singles draw. Steve Johnson, the only player from the US, is participating and he was a 2014 quarterfinalist. He is always formidable on the lawns. Florian Meyer, who had the tournament of his life in 2016 when he won the title, will show why he is a gifted grass court talent. Karen Khachanov, the six foot-six-inch Russian serving machine, will be looking to better his 2017 semifinal performance. And, not to be overlooked is teenager, Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece. He is one of the touted NextGens and will make his Halle debut.

“Game, Set and Match” was theme of the 2017 Gerry Weber Open. The twenty-sixth version of Halle promises, like Jade, to leave a rich and captivating impression that will carry on the tradition that is the Gerry Weber Open.

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