MILLENNIUM ESTORIL OPEN PRESENTS BEST DRAW EVER
NextGen highlights the Portuguese ATP Tour event
After the Entry List deadline, the organization of the Millennium Estoril Open hereby announces the list of players with direct acceptance into the main singles draw of the biggest Portuguese tennis event -- whose fifth edition takes place between April 27 and May 5, at the Clube de Ténis do Estoril.
Following the previous announcement of six star players, including the title holder and best Portuguese tennis player ever João Sousa, a deep look into the 19-player direct acceptance list highlights the quality and youth of the draw – with the lowest cut-off (the last player with direct entry is 64th) and the lowest average age (26 years, well below against the near 30 year-old average in the top 50). The cast also includes five ATP Tour title winners this year.
To reinforce these two main traits (quality & youth) are also the best records on three distinct parameters. In the ATP Tour ranking: two top 10 players for the first time (Kevin Anderson and Stefanos Tsitsipas). In the ATP Race to London classification: two top 8 players (Stefanos Tsitsipas, 3rd, and Gael Monfils, 6th). And in the NextGen - ATP Race to Milan standings: the top three players under 21 years (Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alex de Minaur and Frances Tiafoe).
In the youth department, it stands clearly out the unprecedented American army led by 2018 runner-up, Frances Tiafoe, joined by Reilly Opelka (the 211cm-tall giant who recently won the New York Open), Taylor Fritz and Mackenzie McDonald, representing the future of the sport in the United States and all with ages between 21 and 23.
Official Player Acceptance List
Direct Acceptances / Ranking / Age
Kevin Anderson (AFS) / 7.º / 32
Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) / 10.º / 20
Fabio Fognini (ITA) / 17.º / 31
Gael Monfils (FRA) / 18.º / 32
Alex de Minaur (AUS) / 26.º / 20
Frances Tiafoe (EUA) / 34.º / 21
John Millman (AUS) / 39.º / 29
Jérémy Chardy (FRA) / 40.º / 32
João Sousa (POR) / 41.º / 29
Mikhail Kukushkin (CAZ) / 43.º / 31
Dusan Lajovic (SER) / 44.º / 28
Cameron Norrie (GBR) / 51.º / 23
Taylor Fritz (EUA) / 56.º / 21
Reilly Opelka (EUA) / 58.º / 21
Malek Jaziri (TUN) / 59.º / 35
Mackenzie McDonald (EUA) / 60.º / 23
Jaume Munar (ESP) / 61.º / 21
Leonardo Mayer (ARG) / 62.º / 31
Yoshihito Nishioka (JAP) / 64.º / 32
Alternates
Hugo Dellien (BOL) / 74.º / 25
Ernests Gulbis (LET) / 78.º / 30
Nicolas Jarry (CHI) / 79.º / 23
Guido Andreozzi (ARG) / 80.º / 27
Bernard Tomic (AUS) / 81.º / 26
Federico Delbonis (ARG) / 83.º / 28
Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND) / 84.º / 29
Pablo Cuevas (URU) / 85.º / 33
NOTE: The draw will be completed with two Special Exempt (or two alternates, if there are no players in that situation), four qualifiers and three wild cards.
