Arrival at Wimbledon

Travel odyssey for Ofner, training canceled

Sebastian Ofner

(Bild: AFP/APA/EMMANUEL DUNAND)

Sebastian Ofner had a travel odyssey after his final at the tennis grass tournament on Mallorca. The 28-year-old Styrian's plane was so late on Sunday that he couldn't even train the day before his first match at Wimbledon.

The "Krone" reports from Wimbledon

"Unfortunately, we can't even manage one more training session" - that's not how Steve Rettl, Sebastian Ofner's touring coach, had imagined preparing for the grass court classic at Wimbledon. The journey from Mallorca, where the Styrian had played his first ATP final on Saturday, did not go as planned. The flight was delayed for a long time, Ofner only arrived in London late on Sunday evening - and will therefore go into his opening match without training on the green of Wimbledon.

In which the 28-year-old Styrian will face Australian Aleksandar Vukic on Monday (3rd match after 12 noon). "I think the draw is really okay, it could have been a lot worse," said Ofner, who was able to get used to the surface for at least half an hour on Monday lunchtime, warming up with Belgian David Goffin in front of his parents at the Aorangi training ground.

"Everything inside"
However, he has great respect for Vukic, against whom he lost on clay in Marrakesh this year: "He plays really well on grass and should also be in good form." Last week, the world number 81 reached the semi-finals in Eastbourne, Ofner is expecting a close match: "We both serve well, it will be tough - if I play well, anything is possible."

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will be waiting in round two. The Spaniard opens Center Court on Monday and is aiming to become only the fourth player since 1980 after Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and most recently Novak Djokovic to win the double of the Paris and Wimbledon titles in one season.