The European Open in Antwerp is set to be a thrilling part of the ATP Tour‘s indoor season. This year’s tournament, running from October 14th to 20th, promises to be one of the best yet with many top players ready to compete. Richard Gasquet, who plans to retire after next year’s French Open, was the first champion here back in 2016 when he beat Diego Schwartzman 7-6, 6-1.
Jannik Sinner, Andy Murray, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga have also claimed titles in Belgium before. Their victories highlight the high caliber of past participants. With such a rich history, this year’s event has big shoes to fill but looks promising based on the new draw.
Alex de Minaur enters as the No. 1 seed and hasn’t played since an injury at last month’s US Open. He missed Asian tournaments but seems ready for action now. De Minaur skips the first round as a Top 4 seed and will face either Roberto Carballes Baena or Dominik Koepfer in his return match.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇫🇷 Richard Gasquet | 38 | 555 | 3 - 9 |
Antwerp Awaits: A Battle on Indoor Courts
Fans might think this lineup sounds exciting! Felix Auger-Aliassime is another player with strong indoor credentials; he’s won all five of his ATP titles indoors and will play Marton Fucsovics or Raphael Collignon after receiving a bye.
Gasquet faces Tomas Martin Etcheverry in what could be a tough opening match for him. Meanwhile, Stefanos Tsitsipas leads the bottom half of the draw but may find his path challenging with potential matches against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Jiri Lehecka looming.
In another section of this unpredictable tournament are Marcos Giron and Sebastian Baez as top seeds aiming for deep runs. The open nature of their quarter presents them both with opportunities to shine brightly under Antwerp’s lights.
The European hardcourt season often flies under radar but offers some amazing tennis moments every year at events like these—2024 should be no exception!
What do you think about these matchups? Are there any surprises you expect?