Tennis Challenger

Thiem and Ofner probably not an option for Salzburg

In all likelihood, Sebastian Ofner will not be playing in Salzburg.(Bild: GEPA)

Entry deadline for the Salzburg Open: Dominic Thiem is definitely not taking part, and Sebastian Ofner most probably won't either. But the local aces around Lukas Neumayer and Joel Schwärzler could inspire.

After weeks of uncertainty, it has been clear since the closing date for entries on Monday: Austria's former tennis number one Dominic Thiem will not be playing in Salzburg in his last year before the end of his career. Last year's winner Sebastian Ofner (ATP rank 54) is also unlikely to take part in the 125 Challenger. Last year's winner "will probably take a vacation after Wimbledon", regrets organizer Günter Schwarzl, who received the news from Ofner's manager Moritz Thiem. An exception could be if the Styrian retires very early from the grass court classic. "Then he can compete with us with a wild card." Schwarzl is, however, very satisfied with the rest of the field. "There are quite a few top 100 players, so nothing stands in the way of a good tournament."

In addition to players who have been mentioned for some time, such as local hero Lukas Neumayer (ATP rank 238) and young hopeful Joel Schwärzler (rank 388), Filip Misolic will also be playing in the Volksgarten. The Styrian is currently ranked 182nd in the world and was eliminated in the quarter-finals in the city of Mozart last year. The tournament starts on July 7, with the final taking place a week later.