Zizou Bergs, 186th player in the world, lost in straight sets.
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Zizou Bergs was eliminated in the 1st round of the European Open, the tennis tournament in Antwerp, played on a hard surface and endowed with 508,600 euros, on Tuesday at the Lotto Arena.
The only Belgian present in the final draw of the only ATP tournament organized in Belgium, the Limburger, 186th player in the world, lost in two sets 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 in 1 hour and 26 minutes against to the South African Lloyd Harris, 32nd in the world and seeded N.7 in a meeting which started quite late, around 10:30 pm, due to the marathon between Andy Murray and Frances Tiafoe which preceded it.
Harris will meet in the following round the German Jan-Lennard Struff (ATP 50), striker 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 of the Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ATP 45). It had already been released in the first round of the Antwerp tournament last year, by Zizou Bergs, who was playing his very first ATP tournament at the time. The Limburger was then beaten in three sets in the second round by the Russian Karen Khachanov, 17th in the world.
In one year, Bergs rose from 528th to 186th place in the world, clinched three titles on the Challenger circuit and was selected for the first time in
At the start of the afternoon, Ruben Bemelmans and Kimmer Coppejans, the other two Belgians on the track on Tuesday, were eliminated in the 1st round of the doubles 6-3, 6-2 by the French Nicolas Mahut and Fabrice Martin.
On Wednesday, it is again in doubles that we will be able to see the Belgians at work. Sander Gillé and Joran Vliegen will compete against Argentina’s Federico Delbonis and Spaniard David Vega Hernandez. Xavier Malisse, retired to play in the doubles in Antwerp, will play around 5.30pm with Lloyd Harris, of whom he is one of the coaches, against the Australian Matt Reid and the Monegasque Romain Arneodo.
Zizou Bergs feels he can still improve
“I played a decent game, the difference was not huge between us but Lloyd Harris was just a better player today,” said Zizou Bergs, who was the only Belgian in the men’s singles final draw. .
Scheduled in the last rotation, after the duel between Andy Murray and Frances Tiafoe, the meeting lasted quite late, around 10:30 pm, due to the 3:44 marathon between the Briton and the American.
“It is certain that such a long wait takes energy,” says Zizou Bergs. “I was very excited to play, I thought it could be an advantage for me. But Lloyd has experience with ATP tournaments ”.
ATP tournaments are what Zizou Bergs mainly hopes to play in the future. From 528th to 186th place in the world between two editions of the European Open, the 22-year-old Belgian player hopes to be able to continue to progress. “I have to keep working,” he says. “I feel that I have the level to sign a new big performance that will allow me to progress in the standings. I think I can still beat some top 50 players. I’m just waiting for the moment to come, ”adds Bergs, who doesn’t yet know how 2021 will end.“ I have two options. Either I am still competing in a Challenger which will allow me to progress in the standings, or I take a vacation to prepare well for the next season ”.
