St. Petersburg Open 2019

[James P]

Following a North American hard-court summer to remember, Daniil Medvedev returns to his home country at a career-high World No. 4 and will attempt to become the first Russian to win the St. Petersburg Open since Mikhail Youzhny 15 years ago. The 23-year-old Medvedev, who came up just short against Rafael Nadal in the US Open final, will be looking to reach a fifth straight final (Washington, Montreal, Cincinnati, US Open).

Medvedev's countrymen, Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev, also return to Russia as strong contenders for the ATP 250 title. World No. 9 Khachanov is an ATP Masters 1000 champion, claiming the Rolex Paris Masters title in November. Rublev recorded big upsets in August, posting back-to-back wins over Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer in Cincinnati and knocking out Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first round of the US Open.

In addition to the Russian trio, the St. Petersburg field includes US Open semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini, Borna Coric, Stan Wawrinka and Tomas Berdych.

Here's all you need to know about the St. Petersburg tennis tournament: what is the schedule, where to watch, who has won and more.

Established: 1995
Tournament Dates: 16-22 September 2019
Tournament Director: Olesya Gankevich
Draw Ceremony: Sunday, 15 September at 1:00pm on-site
Schedule
* Qualifying: starts Sunday at 11:00am
* Main draw: Monday at 3:00pm, Tuesday – Saturday 1:00pm
* Doubles final: Sunday, 22 September at 2:00pm
* Singles final: Sunday, 22 September at 4:30pm


Main Draw
#4 Daniil Medvedev (RUS)
#9 Karen Khachanov (RUS)
#13 Matteo Berrettini (ITA)
#15 Borna Coric (CRO)
#19 Stan Wawrinka (SUI)
#37 Andrey Rublev (RUS)
#39 Laslo Djere (SRB)
#57 Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ)
#59 Adrian Mannarino (FRA)
#60 Casper Ruud (NOR)
#63 Ricardas Berankis (LTU)
#64 Joao Sousa (POR)
#65 Marton Fucsovics (HUN)
#69 Alexander Bublik (KAZ)
#76 Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP)
#80 Stefano Trevaglia (ITA)
#90 Martin Klizan (SVK)
#92 Thomas Fabbiano (ITA)
#101 Tomas Berdych (CZE)
#118 Evgeny Donskoy (RUS) wild card
#127 Jannik Sinner (ITA) wild card
#146 Dudi Sela (ISR) wild card
#249 Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) protected ranking
#277 Jozef Kovalik (SVK) protected ranking

Qualifying
#86 Damir Dzumhur (BIH)
#119 Egor Gerasimov (BLR)
#124 Ernests Gulbis (LAT)
#135 Ilya Ivashka (BLR)
#144 Lukas Rosol (CZE)
#151 Viktor Troicki (SRB)
#197 Alexey Vatutin (RUS)
#212 Aleksandr Nedovyesov (KAZ)
#217 Matteo Viola (ITA)
#230 Roman Safiullin (RUS)
#231 Alejandro Tabilo (CHI)
#251 Evgeny Karlovskiy (RUS)
#267 Aslan Karatsev (RUS) alternate
#412 Evgenii Turniev (RUS) wild card
#714 Aleksandr Vasilenko (RUS) wild card
#UR Amir Weintraub (ISR) protected ranking

 

[James P]

#182 Denis Istomin (UZB) was supposed to be in the qualifying draw, but was removed due to being in the Istanbul Challenger final, so he'll likely fill the final main draw slot as a special exempt, if I was a betting man.

 

[Mainad]

Interesting to see Berdych in the main draw after his "I might have to retire" comments following his early exit at the US Open to some low-ranked scrub.

 

[I Am Finnish]

Decent field

 

[stringertom]

#182 Denis Istomin (UZB) was supposed to be in the qualifying draw, but was removed due to being in the Istanbul Challenger final, so he'll likely fill the final main draw slot as a special exempt, if I was a betting man.

Does SE entry translate from Challenger to ATP250 levels?

 

[GrassCourtFan]

I don't think they do. From the ATP rulebook: "A Qualified event for special exempt to an ATP Tour 250 tournament is the singles event of any ATP Tour 250, ATP Tour 500, ATP Tour Masters 1000 or Grand Slam tournament."

 

[yokied]

Decent field

Hopefully they've all had sufficient rest after USO, so we get to taste some pure, export-grade distillations from this veritable hit parade of USSR ball bashers. I guess the local entrants prize these events for pride rather than the money, but you'd think that Putin would pump some Sporting Rubli in the direction of this tournament.

It'll be interesting to see if Jannik the fallen angel can bash and crash through here.

 

[ArcspacE]

Daniil for the wiiin

 

[Joseph_K]

Stan Wawrinka and Laslo Djere have withdrawn, so Adrian Mannarino and Casper aruud are now seeded.

 

[James P]

Does SE entry translate from Challenger to ATP250 levels?

I don't think they do. From the ATP rulebook: "A Qualified event for special exempt to an ATP Tour 250 tournament is the singles event of any ATP Tour 250, ATP Tour 500, ATP Tour Masters 1000 or Grand Slam tournament."

I stand corrected, then. Thanks.

 

[stringertom]

Hopefully they've all had sufficient rest after USO, so we get to taste some pure, export-grade distillations from this veritable hit parade of USSR ball bashers. I guess the local entrants prize these events for pride rather than the money, but you'd think that Putin would pump some Sporting Rubli in the direction of this tournament.

It'll be interesting to see if Jannik the fallen angel can bash and crash through here.

Rubylev vs Sinner final! The only way to distinguish one from the other is by grunt volume!

Sinner draws Kuku for Kukushkin. Jannik will send him back to Borat for remedial education on how to represent the great Kazakh nation. This is probably one of the better 1R matches.

Rubylev plays a Q/LL 1R and then the winner of Sela vs Berankis in The Battle of the Smurfs.

 

[Yugram]

The favorite player of @tennis_pro – Berrettini will take it.

 

[James P]

#146 Dudi Sela of Israel was the third wild card.

 

[gn]

Need some Med immediately. Been experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

 

[James P]

Same tbh. I didn't pick him to win, but looking forward to seeing him in action this week.

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

Did Med ever get tired?

 

[yokied]

Rubylev vs Sinner final! The only way to distinguish one from the other is by grunt volume!

Rubly-Sinner would be bashful and not-at-all bashful all at once. If ever there was a soundtrack for this tournament, it would be the below remixed as Bash from the USSR. But the great Georgian basher would probably file for some kind of IP infringement, oh well.

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

ernie ernie ernie !

 

[Mainad]

ernie ernie ernie !

 

[Enceladus]

Bublik-Ruud 7:6(3), 1:1
Bublik created Djokosmash

 

[stringertom]

Bublik-Ruud 7:6(3), 1:1
Bublik created Djokosmash

Bublik was a ghost of himself the last two sets. Ruud advances easily.

 

[James P]

Med's 4 potential matches of Donskoy, Rublev, Berrettini, and Khachanov is pretty solid for a 250 run. Gonna have to work for it.

 

[stringertom]

Med's 4 potential matches of Donskoy, Rublev, Berrettini, and Khachanov is pretty solid for a 250 run. Gonna have to work for it.

This tournament has often had stacked draws. I remember 2016 when Zedraffe won his first ATP title in a final over recent USO champion Stanimal.

 

[James P]

Sousa fells Khachanov 6&4.

 

[Mainad]

Sousa fells Khachanov 6&4.

Lol....Khachanov has now failed to get past the 2nd round (and only taken 1 set) in the last 5 events he's played at 250 level and this one was in front of the home crowd! He has 1 last chance this season to redeem himself from this dismal stat when he plays Moscow next month.

 

[Zardoz7/12]

Karen's form since winning the Paris Masters last fall has been patchy to say the least

 

[Nagal_fan]

Karen's form since winning the Paris Masters last fall has been patchy to say the least

I hope medvedev doesn't fall the same way , winning start here though.

 

[March31]

Disappointed with Khachanov. Did he, eh... lose motivation? )

 

[yokied]

Karen's form since winning the Paris Masters last fall has been patchy to say the least

I came here to poast this with much more damning language. He seems to be settling in around the level I have him pegged at: top 30 filler.

 

[James P]

Well, he just had a son. Couldn't blame him if he was preoccupied with other things for this tournament. That doesn't explain the last 12 months, of course.

 

[stringertom]

Well, he just had a son. Couldn't blame him if he was preoccupied with other things for this tournament. That doesn't explain the last 12 months, of course.

The first part of the year was “highlighted” by the disastrous choice to make a racquet change. Going back to Wilson at IW got him deep right off the bat, then a bit of struggling before RG QF and Montreal SF results. 1R out to Pospisil at USO in five hurt but he was there FTW and just fell short.

Good news about the child! Maybe he gets a boost in 2020.

 

[3fees]

Medleydev v Rubles battle of the russkies for a semi finals slot.

Cheers
3Fees

 

[Enceladus]

Berretini-Gerasimov 6:7(5), 5:4
Matteo saved three BPs in a row (0-40) in the 9th game of the 2nd set.

 

[Enceladus]

Berretini-Gerasimov 6:7(5), 6:5
Matteo again saved three BPs in a row (0-40) and it in the 11th game of the 2nd set

 

[Red Rick]

Thinking small chance Medvedev tanks vs Rublev cause Rublev is Russian and Med is tired as hell

 

[3fees]

Egor v Matteo 76 66 22 Egor can win this in two

Cheers
3fees

 

[3fees]

Congrats to Egor blnt Matteo 76 76 Egor bags a semifinals slot,, WD

Cheers
3Fees

 

[3fees]

Medleydev v Rubles up next for the last semi finals slot.

Cheers
3Fees

 

[James P]

Med wins 4&5. Was down a break 5-3 in the second before reeling off 4 consecutive game wins.

 

[James P]

SF1: [1]Daniil Medvedev (RUS) vs [Q]Egor Gerasimov (BLR)

SF2: [4]Borna Coric (CRO) vs Joao Sousa (POR)

 

[3fees]

Congrats to Medleydev blnt Rubles 64 75 Medleydev marches on

Cheers
3Fees

 

[stringertom]

SF1: [1]Daniil Medvedev (RUS) vs [Q]Egor Gerasimov (BLR)

SF2: [4]Borna Coric (CRO) vs Joao Sousa (POR)

Interesting potential final if the favorites advance: Coric leads h2h 3-1 in open draw ATP/slam competition and beat mdvdv in the inaugural Milan Kiddies exho before defaulting the 3rd place match. mdvdv whacked Coric at 1R Wimby and sent Borna to WATLYNM after his upset of fedr in the Halle final. The three Coric wins happened after Wimby that year at M1K level and above, all on HC and all in straight sets.

Is Coric the kryptonite to Mad Lad???

 

[yokied]

Med just keeps a-steam-rollin rollin rollin rollin. I thought he might get stopped in a hail of featherweight fistpumps by Rubles but the beat goes on.

 

[James P]

Under the radar, I admittedly rarely pay attention to doubles, but Matteo Berrettini and his partner Simone Bolelli upset the #2 seeded doubles team (Gille/Vliegen both from Belgium) to reach the finals. They await the winner of the other SF, including the top seed, Mektic/Skugor. Berrettini won this doubles tourney last year with Fabio Fognini so has an opportunity to go back to back.

 

[3fees]

Medleydev v Egor 75 45 on serve

Cheers
3Fees

 

[3fees]

Congrats to Coritch blnt Sousa 36 76(5) 61 and a breadstick 3rd set,, Coric to the finals

Cheers
3Fees

 

[3fees]

Medleydev v Egor 75 55 on serve

Cheers
3Fees

 

[James P]

Medvedev saw what Gerasimov could do in tiebreakers to Berrettini and said "no thanks." Wins 7-5 and 7-5.

 

[3fees]

Medleydev v Egor 75 75 at 5-5 Medleydev breaks, holds and wins the match Medleydev to the finals

Cheers
3Fees

 

[James P]

St Petersburg Open 2019 Final: [1]Daniil Medvedev (RUS) vs [4]Borna Coric (CRO)