As preparations are under way to welcome some of the biggest names in world tennis to the Malaysian Open ATP 250 championships, which begins this weekend, the final two wild card recipients have been finalised.
Tournament director Nick Freyer, who was hoping for some big names to snatch the remaining wild cards, announced yesterday that 18-year-old Taro Daniel, who holds a dual citizenship (US and Japanese), and Bernard Tomic have been awarded the singles and doubles wild card respectively.
“Taro has a very bright future and, together with Kei Nishikori who is also playing here this year, they will be at the front of the next tennis boom in Japan,” said Freyer.
“This can only have a positive spin-off for Asian tennis that will reach far and wide.”
Daniel, who currently resides and trains in Spain, will be making his ATP World Tour debut in the tournament.
“Malaysian fans have a fantastic opportunity to come and watch him play and experience his raw talent before it is fully discovered by the world at large,” Freyer said.
Tomic is an up-and-coming Australian player who reached the singles quarter-finals of the Wimbledon this year with compatriot Matthew Ebden. In a move to attract more spectators to the event, the organisers have announced that tickets will be priced at RM10 (from Monday to Tuesday), RM15 (Wed-Thu), RM20 (Fri) and RM50 (Sat-Sun) with free-seating throughout the tournament.
The Malaysian Open is one of only five World Tour stops in Asia and carries a total prize money of US$947,750 (RM2.9mil). It will feature a 28-player singles main draw and 16 doubles pairs with the qualifying round for singles starting tomorrow.
World No. 9 Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic is the top seed. Other top stars include Nishikori, world No. 12 Nicolas Almagro of Spain, Cyprus’ Marcos Baghdatis and Serbians Janko Tipsarevic and Viktor Troicki.
