Berrettini Leads Big-Bangers & Shotmakers In Antalya

Posted: Jan 05, 2021

Want to start the 2021 ATP Tour season with a title at the Antalya Open in Turkey? You’ll have to go through shotmakers galore to do it.

Matteo Berretini is the top seed at the ATP 250, where the Italian will try to claim his fourth tour-level title. The World No. 10 is one of the biggest bruisers on the ATP Tour, but he’ll have to navigate a tricky field if he is to start his year in the winners’ circle.

Berrettini will begin his run in Antalya against 21-year-old Turkish wild card Ergi Kirkin, who seeks his first tour-level win. The other seeded player in the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals competitor’s quarter is eighth seed Alexander Bublik. The Kazakh is armed with a deadly serve and a tough game to deal with, from out-of-the blue winners to underarm serves.

Shotmaking baseliners Fabio Fognini and Jan-Lennard Struff are also in Berrettini’s half of the draw. The third-seeded Fognini and fifth-seeded Struff will both begin their year against a qualifier or lucky loser.

David Goffin, the second seed and 2017 Nitto ATP Finals runner-up, faces a tricky opener against good friend Pierre-Hugues Herbert, an aggressive Frenchman. Not only are they close friends off court, but they are doubles partners in Turkey. Herbert is a dangerous opponent, who for years has been one of the best doubles players in the world. Goffin has won all five of their previous ATP Head2Head meetings, and he will try to maintain that clean sheet in Turkey.

The next-highest seed in the Belgian’s half of the draw is Aussie No. 1 Alex de Minaur, the three-time ATP Tour titlist. The fourth seed will begin his season against Tunisian Malek Jaziri. Big-hitting Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, the sixth seed, is also in the same half of the draw, as are Miomir Kecmanovic and Emil Ruusuvuori.

Mektic/Pavic Top Seeds In Doubles Draw
Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic will begin their new partnership in Antalya, where they are the top seeds. The Croatians will begin 2021 against Jiri Vesely and Tristan-Samuel Weissborn. Weissborn will be a member of Austria’s ATP Cup team in February.

The second seeds are 2019 Nitto ATP Finals competitors Ivan Dodig and Filip Polasek. The 2019 Cincinnati champions will play Tuna Altuna and Altug Celikbilek of Turkey in the first round.

View Who Is Playing, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown

Here’s what you need to know about the Antalya tennis tournament, which was included in the ATP’s updated start to the 2021 calendar on a single-year license.

Established: 2021

Tournament Dates: Thursday, 7 – Wednesday, 13 January 2021

Tournament Director: Ümit Yaşar Yılmaz

Draw Ceremony: Tuesday, 5 January 2021, 4pm

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Schedule
* Qualifying: Tuesday 5 – Wednesday 6 January
* Main draw: Thursday, 7 January – Wednesday, 13 January at 10am (no night session)
* Doubles final: Tuesday 12 January
* Singles final: Wednesday 13 January