Too many cooks in the kitchen? Not when the ATP World Tour stars in Vienna for the Erste Bank Open 500 swapped their tennis gear for chef hats and aprons as they learned to make the perfect Wiener Schnitzel.

David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez, Lucas Pouille, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan took their places behind the stovetops in an exclusive cooking class at the Plachuttas Gasthaus Zut Oper. The pros donned their personalised aprons and hats and each took on a particular role in making the schnitzel: slicing the veal in a rainbow cut, pounding the meat, covering it in flour and seasoning, dipping it in beaten eggs and bread crumbs, then finally deep frying and serving up the meal.

“I never did this before,” said Ferrer. “It’s difficult but it’s nice. It was a good experience. Maybe in the future I can cook it.”

“It was cool that they got us all decked out in chef gear,” said Bob Bryan, who taste-tested his own schnitzel. “It didn’t make us better chefs but we looked good.”

“My wife’s going to be very proud of me for cooking a meal… she’s going to be ecstatic when she sees this,” added Mike Bryan.

The players were all given certificates to celebrate their cooking class and were invited to stay for a special three course dinner along with their family and friends. No confirmation on whether or not the courses included their personally made Wiener Schnitzel!

But Lopez ultimately ended his experience optimistically, saying “I wish I could be the best cook in the world because I love food.”

The top ace leaders in this year’s Infosys ATP Scores & Stats served their way into the second round of the Erste Bank Open 500 on Monday in Vienna.

Eighth seed Ivo Karlovic, the top ace hitter before Monday with 1,003, blasted 16 more while beating Steve Johnson 7-6(5), 6-3. Karlovic, who also swept Johnson in Washington, saved all six break points against the American, who reached his first ATP World Tour final in Vienna last season (l. to Ferrer).

View more statistics at the ATP Stats LEADERBOARDS

The 37-year-old Croatian will meet Bosnian qualifier Damir Dzumhur, who outlasted Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 5-7, 6-0 in one hour and 40 minutes.

John Isner, who entered Monday second in aces with 997, struck 18 aces and saved all seven break points in his comeback win against German Jan-Lennard Struff 6-7(1), 6-3, 6-4. The American, who now has 1,015 aces, surpassed the 1,000 mark for the fourth time in his career. He also did in 2010, 2012 and 2015.

Karlovic has led the ATP World Tour in aces five times: 2007-09, ’14-15; Isner, three times: 2010, ’12-13. Isner will look to pad his total against seventh seed Lucas Pouille or Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in the second round.

The youngest player in the Vienna draw also used some efficient serving to advance. Russian wild card Karen Khachanov won 82 per cent of his first-serve points to dismiss Italian Andreas Seppi 6-4, 6-4 in 69 minutes. The 20 year old, a member of the ATP Next Generation, captured his maiden title earlier this month at the Chengdu Open (d. Ramos-Vinolas). Khachanov will next face second seed Tomas Berdych or Georgian qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili.

Berdych is trying to make a final push to the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. The Czech is currently in ninth place in the Emirates ATP Race To London, 325 points behind eighth-placed Dominic Thiem, who’s the third seed in Vienna, his home tournament.

View the Emirates ATP Race To London standings

Andy Murray continues his quest to take the World No. 1 spot from Novak Djokovic at this week’s Erste Bank Open 500 in Vienna.

If Murray wins in Vienna and next week’s BNP Paribas Masters in Paris, Djokovic would have to reach the Paris final in order to maintain his No. 1 standing. Djokovic currently has 10,600 points in the Emirates ATP Race to London, while Murray has 9,685 points. Should Murray win in Vienna, the 500 points he would gain would cut Djokovic’s lead over him to 415 points. The BNP Paribas Masters has 1,000 points on offer for the winner, enough for Murray to make a move for World No. 1.

After Paris, the Emirates ATP Race to London and the Emirates ATP Rankings will mirror each other. Murray must win in either Vienna or Paris if he is to have any chance of holding the top spot in the Emirates ATP Rankings before the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. But even if he prevails in both events, it’s not a guarantee Murray would unseat Djokovic.

Below are the scenarios in which Murray would move into the No. 1 position on Nov. 7.

· If Murray loses in the first-round of Vienna, he must win in Paris and Djokovic must lose beore the third round.

· If Murray loses in the second-round or quarter-finals of Vienna, he must win in Paris and Djokovic must lose before the quarter-finals.

· If Murray loses in the semi-finals of Vienna, he must win Paris and Djokovic must lose before the semi-finals

· If Murray finishes runner-up in Vienna, he must win in Paris and Djokovic must lose before the final

· If Murray wins Vienna, he must win in Paris and Djokovic must lose before the final, or he must reach the Paris final and Djokovic must lose before the semi-finals.

The battle for World No. 1 could be decided at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Djokovic is a five-time winner and four-time defending champion at the season-ending event, while Murray has never reached the final and moved past the round-robin stage in just three of seven previous appearances.

Murray starts his Vienna campaign with an opening round clash against Martin Klizan.