South African Open starts amid criticism

After wooing names like Frenchmen Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils and Spaniard David Ferrer in the past two years, the organizers have been hamstrung by a lack of appearance-fee funds.

“No player appearing this year is receiving a cent of appearance money. We are happy to host the event with some strong entries,” countered tournament director Ian Smith.

“Stars like Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are out of reach for the South African Open because it begins a day after the Australian Open finals.

“Another factor is that the fees being demanded by their agents are quite prohibitive in the current financial environment,” added the official credited with reviving South African tennis in recent years.

“We were hopeful of securing Australian Open semifinalist David Ferrer but he decided against making a third visit to South Africa at the last minute while saying he would like to return in the future.”

Adding to the concerns of Smith is that a three-year “trial” return to the ATP circuit for South Africa ends this year and there is uncertainty whether they will make the next calendar.

The 2012 London Olympics and the wish of players to reduce their strenuous schedules will mean fewer tournaments, leaving South African officials anxious not to miss out, and also praying for a date change.

“We would like the South African Open to be staged at a time when it does not closely follow a grand slam tournament as is the case this year with the Australian Open,” said Smith.

While local star Kevin Anderson is seeded below Lopez, Yen-Hsun Lu of Taiwan and Serb Janko Tipsarevic, the Spaniard fears the South African could upset his dreams of a third ATP title after Vienna in 2004 and Johannesburg last year.

Lopez — one of three top-50 players in the field — suffered a 6-3, 6-1 defeat by Anderson in Brisbane this month, but said he was suffering from a virus.

“If we should meet again in South Africa I would hope to give a better account of myself,” he stressed ahead of the seven-day tournament at the Montecasino entertainment complex in a northern Johannesburg suburb.

French pair Florent Serra (5) and Adrian Mannarino (6), German Rainer Schuettler (7) and Pole Michal Przysiezny (8) are the other seeds for the US$442,500 event.

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