The 2016 TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open is entering its second year. It was inaugurated last year by Roger Federer, who delighted Turkish tennis fans by entering and then winning the event. Federer created publicity for the first tournament, and then by making the final, he ensured that the stadium was full or close to full each time he played. That meant a lot of extra revenue for the event. Federer, though, is not here this year, so the title is up for grabs.
The competition in the 28-player main draw begins on Monday, April 25.
Event Details
Event: Istanbul Open
Category: ATP 250 Series
Date: April 25 – 30, 2016
Location: Koza World of Sport Complex – Istanbul, Turkey
The 2016 Istanbul Open should be a free-for-all with Federer not returning to defend his title. With a prize money allotment of 463,520 Euros, this is a standard pot of money for an ATP 250 tournament. The hope among tournament organizers is that Istanbul, as a new part of the ATP calendar (having been introduced last year), will grab at least one big name in the earlier parts of its existence. From that platform, the tournament can grow into something bigger in the years ahead.
The points structure in a 250-point tournament offers 250 points towards the winner’s ranking. A runner-up finish is worth 150 points. A semifinal result is 90 points, and a quarterfinal appearance offers 45 points. It’s not a ton of points or money for this event, which is why we don’t see the biggest names of the bunch flocking over to Istanbul. Also, remember that there is a lot of drama going on in the country these days as it is on the brink of war with both Russia and Syria, so a lot of players might rather avoid it. There are safer places to be playing.
Former Champions and Results
Year Champion Runner-up Score
2015 – Roger Federer def. Pablo Cuevas – 6-3, 7-6
Player Info:
The top seed is Bernard Tomic, currently ranked at 21 but likely to drop after an early-round loss in the Romanian Open to Robin Haase. That gives you a clear indication of who’s who at this tournament. Tomic is a good player and is still in the Top 25, but he’s clearly not one of the premier players on the men’s side of things. We aren’t going to see Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, Rafael Nadal or anyone else in the Top 20. That means this event will be wide open for anyone to make a case.
The second seed is Grigor Dimitrov, who beat Andy Murray in Miami but then couldn’t make a deeper run at that tournament and then failed to do anything in Monte Carlo on clay a week ago. The third seed is Ivo Karlovic, who at 29 is the only other player ranked in the top 30 and is therefore in line to get a seed (top 32) at the French Open. He will need to win a match or two to shore up that seeding position. Beyond those three, there really isn’t anyone who has made a significant mark on the men’s side of things this year.
The fourth seed is Federico Delbonis, the last player to get a bye – the top four seeds get byes in a 28-player tournament. The fifth seed is Marcel Granollers. Jiri Vesely, who upset Novak Djokovic in Monte Carlo, is sixth. Teymuraz Gabashvili is seventh, and Albert Ramos-Vinolas is eighth.
Pullouts include Juan Monaco and Rajeev Ram. Filip Krajinovic and Facundo Bagnis are the replacements.
Koza World of Sport Complex
The Koza World of Sport Complex is the largest tennis facility in the world, with 64 courts. It is a sprawling facility, and it has accompanied Istanbul’s rise as a more prominent tennis destination. Istanbul hosted a women’s tennis tournament which started, was discontinued, and then returned after the city hosted the year-ending WTA Finals from 2011 through 2013. Istanbul made inroads in the world of global tennis and was able to establish a companion ATP event, which is held after the WTA event within the calendar year. The Koza complex’s central stadium court seats 7,500 people.
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