The 2017 Sofia Open is the second edition of the tournament. It boasts some big names in the form of world No. 8 Dominic Thiem, No. 11 David Goffin, the local hero Grigor Dimitrov, who is ranked 13th, and world No. 16 Roberto Bautista Agut. With the presence of top-10 hopefuls, the tournament should be tight, fiercely contested and exciting. Dimitrov will obviously have the fans cheering behind him but it won’t be an easy path for him. That home-court advantage could be a key factor in separating him from
The competition in the 28-player main draw begins on Sunday, February 5.
Event Details
Event: Sofia Open
Category: ATP 250 Series
Date: February 5-12, 2017
Location: Arena Armeec – Sofia, Bulgaria
The 2017 Sofia Open wants to be seen as an event that can stand on its own two feet. So far, so good.
With a prize money allotment of 482,000 Euros, this is a tournament with a level of prize money competitive with the other ATP 250 events being played during the same week in Quito, Ecuador, and Montpellier, France. Some might have thought that Bulgaria might be a more out of the way destination compared to France (which hosts a lot of tennis tournaments during the year) and Ecuador (part of an established South American swing), but the prize money did not take any meaningful hit, a good sign for the future of what is still a relatively young tournament that is trying to find its footing.
Points
Champion – 250
Runner-up – 150
Semifinal – 90
Quarterfinal – 45
Former Champions and Results
Year Champion Runner-up Score
2016 Roberto Bautista Agut def. Viktor Troicki – 6-3, 6-4
Player Info:
Dominic Thiem stepped up big time last season and established himself as a regular top-10 player. Thiem made the quarterfinals in Brisbane and matched his best hardcourt result by reaching the fourth round in Melbourne. Last year he showed his ability to adapt to every surface. The challenge this year is to prove it again. Can he?
David Goffin had a great run in Australia, where he made his first major hardcourt quarterfinal. The Belgian is hoping to stay consistent and build on his good results. Goffin is on the periphery of the top 10, currently ranked 11th in the world. That’s enough motivation to keep his good work going.
This time last year, Grigor Dimitrov seemed lost. He was short on confidence and couldn’t conjure two wins in a row even if he tried. However, he has made a strong start to this season. Dimitrov lifted the Brisbane trophy by beating three top-10 players (Dominic Thiem, Milos Rainic and Kei Nishikori) and carried his form to Melbourne, where he made his second major semifinal. The Bulgarian may have gone down in a bruising five-hour semifinal to Rafael Nadal, but he played the match of his life. It shows that his body can sustain itself for long hours and gives him the belief that he can beat the top dogs. Dimitrov returns to his home tournament as the most in-form player and as a prime candidate for the title.
Every time analysts evaluate Roberto Bautista-Agut, he looks like an improved player. He is so different from the other Spaniards but remains underrated. Bautista-Agut is an all-court player who keeps on producing steady results. He started the season with a bang, triumphing in Chennai and by quietly making the round of 16 in Melbourne, where he lost to Milos Raonic in a close four-set battle. The first edition winner will be defending 250 points, but it’s far from easy when the rest of the participants are in-form players.
Arena Armeec
Opened in 2011, this modern facility can pull in 17,000 spectators for concerts. For tennis and other sporting events, it has a capacity of just over 12,300 seats, enabling sizable crowds to gather for the best in global competition. The arrival of a new arena in Bulgaria is precisely why the ATP green-lit this event. In its second year, it will try to form an established presence on tour. There’s no question that the big audience at the stadium will be behind home-town hero Grigor Dimitrov, who – with some breaks – could make a deep tournament run next week.
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