Erste Bank Open: But Austrian participation! Dennis Novak receives wildcard
Dennis Novak was given a wildcard for the Erste Bank Open starting on Monday in Vienna. As of now, the Lower Austrian is the only Austrian in the main field of the ATP 500 event due to the injury-related cancellation of Dominic Thiem.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit:
Oct 22, 2021, 02:59 pm
The Erste Bank Open in Vienna will not take place entirely without Austrian participation. After the injury-related cancellation by the Austrian figurehead and winner from 2019, Dominic Thiem, Dennis Novak is now given the burden of representing his home country as probably the only starter in the main field. Unless another Austrian successfully plays through the top-ranked qualification of the ATP 500 event.
The issue of the wildcard to Novak was confirmed by tournament director Herwig Straka to tennisnet.com on Friday afternoon. Straka said: "The Erste Bank Open will take place with Austrian participation." This means that there is only one wild card left for the top tournament in Vienna, in which Stefanos Tsistipas and Alexander Zverev will lead the field.
Denis Novak will be seen in action for the first time on Friday, when the Lower Austrian will be playing in the "best-of-three" tie-break battle at Vienna's Heumarkt. In addition to Novak, Cameron Norrie, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Jurij Rodionov will also take part in the show event.