The 2017 Estoril Open marks the continuation of a new identity for this tournament. It used to be the Portugal Open, held in Oeiras, Portugal, in an old facility at the Estadio Nacional do Jamor, and the Estadio Central, one of the most classically elegant and beautiful show courts in the world. Now, it’s at the Clube de Tenis in Cascais, Portugal, a newer venue with new sponsorships and the ability to move forward as Portugal’s ATP Tour stop each year.
The competition in the 28-player main draw begins on Monday, May 1.
Event Details
Event: Estoril Open
Category: ATP 250 Series
Date: May 1 – 7, 2017
Location: Clube de Tenis do Estoril – Cascais, Portugal
With a prize money allotment of roughly 482,000 Euros, the purse is standard for ATP 250 tournaments. What is important and noticeable is that the 2016 purse was near 440,000 Euros, so this is a legitimate pay bump on the tour and the sign that the event, after switching locations, is healthier and in a better position to remain the fixture it has been for the ATP. That’s great news.
Points
Champion – 250
Runner-up – 150
Semifinal – 90
Quarterfinal – 45
Former Champions and Results (5 Years)
Year Champion Runner-up Score
2016 – Nicolas Almagro def. Pablo Carreno Busta – 6-7, 7-6, 6-3
2015 – Richard Gasquet def. Nick Kyrgios – 6-3, 6-2
As the Portugal Open:
2014 – Carlos Berlocq def. Tomas Berdych – 0-6, 7-5, 6-1
2013 – Stan Wawrinka def. David Ferrer – 6-1, 6-4
2012 – Juan Martin del Potro def. Richard Gasquet – 6-4, 6-2
Player Info:
Nick Kyrgios had a forgettable Australian Open but he’s been on fire since that five-set loss to Andreas Seppi in Melbourne. His performances since then: semifinal in Marseille (lost to Jo Wilfred Tsonga), semifinal in Acapulco (beat Novak Djokovic on the way), quarterfinal in Indian Wells, and semifinal in Miami. His behavior is not likable but his game certainly is. In his epic semifinal against Roger Federer in Miami, he proved that he can concentrate for a long time. Kyrgios was slightly unfortunate not to have won against Federer but he also proved that if he can keep a level head, he can accomplish any task in tennis.
Albert Ramos-Vinolas was the 15th seed in Monte Carlo but recorded wins over Andy Murray (quarterfinals) and Marin Cilic (semifinals) to earn a championship match against Rafael Nadal in the principality. Of course Nadal was too hot to handle in the finals, dropping just four games before stomping to the title. It’s always disappointing to lose a final but despite the loss, Ramos-Vinolas has entered the top 20 of the ATP Emirates rankings for the first time. The Spaniard will stop in Barcelona before landing in Estoril. No matter how he fares in Barcelona, he’ll be mentally and physically tested here.
Juan Martin del Potro is a modest 6-4 in 2017. However, that modest record is largely due to his lowly ranking (33). The Argentine just can’t avoid bumping into top players early in tournaments. Del Potro lost to Novak Djokovic on two occasions—the fourth round in Acapulco and the third round of Indian Wells. He lost to Roger Federer in Miami in the third round. That can change if he has a good run in Estoril. However, he’ll have to hit his backhand as hard as possible. He can’t afford to use slice as a weapon on clay, so his strategy is going to be interesting. Can Del Potro hit the backhand with full power? If he can’t, he has nowhere to hide against dirtballers.
Kyle Edmund can play on clay, but now it can be said that he can compete with the best. Although he lost to Rafael Nadal, he put up a brave fight in Monte Carlo. After Edmund was bageled in the first set, it looked like a rout, but the Brit made a match out of it. Edmund won the second set 7-5, where Nadal was broken three times by the British number two. He even had a break point for 3-1 in the deciding set, but wasted the opportunity by netting a backhand. Although Edmund lost, the Yorkshireman can proudly say he was the only one who took a set off Nadal in Monte Carlo. In Barcelona, Edmund was unlucky again as he ran in to a top-10 player for the second consecutive time. He was destroyed by Dominic Thiem in the second round. In Estoril, the field won’t be loaded with top players and he’ll get the opportunity to go deep in the tournament.
Clube de Tenis do Estoril
The Clube de Tenis do Estoril is in its third year of playing host to this tournament. This is the result of the clash between modernity and history in sports. The new stadium might not have the charms of the old one, but it facilitates the generation of revenue and is therefore necessary to an event’s survival.
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