Wimbledon winner Boris Becker served up an ace at the gala launch party for the Mallorca Tennis Championships which are taking place in Santa Ponsa as part of the ATP championships over the weekend. Becker, alongside fellow German tennis great, Tommy Haas and Toni Nadal, uncle and former trainer of Rafa Nadal, were in Santa Ponsa for the big launch.
Organiser Edwin Weindorfer said that this year was a real curtain raiser for the Wimbledon championship giving top players a taste of grass court tennis before heading to London. Boris Becker agreed. Becker, who once owned a home on the island, said that he never would have thought that Mallorca would host a grass court tennis tournament.
The Mallorca Country Club works closely with Wimbledon and has even given them some tips on how to maintain the grass in perfect condition.
On Sunday, Spaniards Roberto Bautista (6/1, 6/0 to Taro Daniel) and Roberto Carballés (7/6[4], 4/6, 7/6[3] to Pablo Carreño) made their debuts with victories, the second one in the longest match of the day, last of them (2 hours and 48 minutes).
In addition to Alexander Michelsen (6/3 and 7/6[4] to Nuno Borges). The American, at 19 years and 9 months, is the youngest player to reach the first round at the Mallorca Championships. In the doubles draw, Mallorcan Jaume Munar and Spaniard Pedro Martínez beat the Austrian duo of Miedler/Thiem (6/3 and 6/1). Meanwhile, in the other match of the day, Americans Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow, top seeds, defeated Darderi/Ofner (6/4 and 7/6[4]).
Tickets for the top event which lasts all week are on sale at https://www.mallorca-championships.com/en/news/tickets-for-mallorca-championships-24-are-now-on-sale.