Roberto Bautista Agut from Spain on Semi Finals day at the 2014 Heineken Open. ASB Tennis Centre, Auckland. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.co.nz
Roberto Bautista Agut from Spain on Semi Finals day at the 2014 Heineken Open. ASB Tennis Centre, Auckland. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.co.nz
Organisers of the Heineken Open have today announced the strongest event line-up, with seven of the Top 20 players in the world set to converge on Auckland this January.
Joining the already announced four-time Heineken Open champion David Ferrer (10), Ernests Gulbis (13), Kevin Anderson (16), Tommy Robredo (17), GaelMonfils (18), defending champion John Isner (19), and Dominic Thiem (39); will be world number 15 Roberto Bautista Agut, eighth seed Santiago Giraldo (32), Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (36), Steve Johnson (37), 2014 Finalist Yen-Hsun Lu (38), and 2014 wildcard Jack Sock (42).
"To have seven players inside the world's Top 20 is an amazing feat. I'm not sure we will replicate this in a hurry!" says Tournament Director, Karl Budge.
Bautista Agut has had a career best year which has seen him earn the ATP Most Improved Player award for 2014. Kicking on from his semi-final appearance in Auckland (losing to eventual champion Isner), the Spaniard went on to beat Juan Martin del Potro, who was world number five at the time, in the second round of the Australian Open, before capturing his first ATP World Tour title in 's-Hertogenbosch.
His second title came quickly only weeks later in Stuttgart, and he reached the semi-finals in Madrid, where he met world number three Rafael Nadal.
He ended the year strongly being runner up to US Open champion Marin Cilic in Moscow.
Eighth seed Santiago Giraldo has also had a career best year, reaching four semi-finals (Vina del Mar, Houston, Kuala Lumpur and Shenzhen), a final in Barcelona, and had a dream run in the Masters 1000 level event in Madrid beating Andy Murray, Jo Tsonga and Lleyton Hewitt, en route to his first Masters quarter-final. He also made the semi-finals of the doubles in Kuala Lumpur alongside Kiwi number one, Michael Venus.
The 2015 tournament sees the return of American rising star, Jack Sock, who was a wildcard at the 2014 tournament, defeating world number 12, Tommy Haas, in straight sets to advance to the quarter-finals. Sock reached his first ATP World Tour semi-final this year, knocking out Heineken Open champion, John Isner in Newport, and followed that up with another semi-final appearance in Atlanta.
He recorded a top ten victory over US Open finalist Kei Nishikori in Shanghai. The young American had a successful year of doubles, teaming up with Canadian Vasek Pospisil to win the Wimbledon Men's Doubles in a five set final against the number one seeds, Bob and Mike Bryan.
Sock forms part of a strong contingent of the most promising talent on tour, with youngsters Bautista-Agut, the already announced Dominic Thiem, and rising Portugal star, Joao Sousa (54) who made two ATP finals and a semi-final this year.
"It is such a varying field with some big servers, some of the better returners and the most promising talent on tour," continues Budge.
Off the back of strong ticket sales, organisers can also confirm that a new grandstand will be erected for the event, housing an additional 200 seats for fans to enjoy. The new grandstand will be a first for the events, positioned on top of the Next Generation Club, providing a very unique view over all three match courts.
"The way ticket sales are going, and with the quality of both fields, we felt there was demand for greater capacity, and the new stand will provide a unique spot for fans to soak up the action," says Budge.
Full list of seeded players for the Heineken Open 2015: 1. David Ferrer 2. Ernests Gulbis 3. Roberto Bautista Agut 4. Kevin Anderson 5. Tommy Robredo 6. Gael Monfils 7. John Isner 8. Santiago Giraldo
Heineken Open 2015 Full Field David Ferrer / ESP (10) Ernests Gulbis / LAT (13) Roberto Bautista Agut / ESP (15) Kevin Anderson / RSA (16) Tommy Robredo / ESP (17) Gael Monfils / FRA (18) John Isner / USA (19) Santiago Giraldo / COL (32) Guillermo Garcia-Lopez / ESP(36) Steve Johnson / USA (37) Yen-Hsun Lu / TPE (38) Dominic Thiem / AUT (39) Jack Sock / USA (42) Adrian Mannarino / FRA (44) Pablo Carreno Busta / ESP (51) Joao Sousa / POR (54) Donald Young / USA (57) Jan-Lennard Struff / GER (59) Federico Delbonis / ARG (60)
