10 THINGS TO WATCH IN STUTTGART Grass Circuit Opens: The six-tournament grass-court circuit leading into Wimbledon begins in Stuttgart and ’s-Hertogenbosch. The inaugural Stuttgart event was in 1898, with Mercedes-Benz assuming the role of title sponsor in 1979. This is the third year the event is being played on grass. Federer Leads Field: Roger Federer is one of four Top 20 players who will receive first-round byes. The other Top 4 seeds are Grigor Dimitrov, Tomas Berdych and wild card Lucas Pouille. Roger Returns: Federer is playing in his first event since winning the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title in Miami on 2 April. The Swiss star is 19-1 this season and on an 11-match win streak. In his...
A relaxed and jovial Roger Federer sweated out a 90-minute practice session in 30 degree temperatures Sunday in preparation for his return to the ATP World Tour at the MercedesCup. Federer dusted off some cobwebs and shared some laughs with practice partner Tommy Haas and the several hundred fans who turned out on the eve of the grass-court season, which begins Monday in Stuttgart and ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Sporting a short new haircut, Federer, 35, could play Haas, 39, in the second round in Stuttgart. Typically, players prefer to practice with someone in the other half of the draw. The close friends played quickly during a number of practice games - often to the appreciative applause from fans - but didn’t rush...
Roger Federer is back on the ATP World Tour after a two-month break. Watch his first grass-court practice with Tommy Haas, and hear from MercedesCup Tournament Director Edwin Weindorfer.
The grass-court season has arrived on the ATP World Tour and a familiar face is atop the draw at the MercedesCup. Top seed Roger Federer leads the field in Stuttgart, his first tournament since going back-to-back at the Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami two months ago. Federer, who has a first-round bye, opens against either wild card and close friend Tommy Haas or Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert. A potential quarter-final clash against another German veteran, Mischa Zverev, could also await the Swiss. Third seed Tomas Berdych, who faces either Stephane Robert or Bernard Tomic in the second round, is another seeded threat in Federer's half of the draw. If 35-year-old Federer faces 39-year-old Haas, it would be their...