Munich youngster Max Rehberg will work next week at the Wolfkran Open in Ismanning. The carpet suits him – he won his first men’s title on it last week.
Munich – Even before training, Max Rehberg has to hear a saying by Philipp Kohlschreiber. “What am I reading there?” The former player asks the tennis genius with audible irony: “My idol: Roger Federer.” Kolschreiber is probably alluding to a profile in which the Bavarian Tennis Association presents Rehberg. “Why,” replied the Munich native: “should I have taken you instead?” The two then agreed to play together on the red carpet (tennis court, no celebrity reception) at TC Ismaning’s hall.
Kolschreiber – who ended his career this year – would occasionally fall off the tennis base at Oberhaching and train with him, Rehberg previously told our newspaper. Meanwhile, there is a lot going on in the background, with grandstands being set up for next week’s ATP Challenger tournament.
Rehberg is there thanks to a wildcard. His anticipation is great, he lives in Landsham near Pleining, only 15 minutes away by car. But also because of the surface, which is rare in professional tennis. “I play flat, it’s uncomfortable for the opponent on the carpet because the ball barely bounces now,” explains the world number 691.
He is now in the top 700 for the first time. Last week he also won his first men’s title on the carpet in Forbach, France. And that, although he had a cold, he reports: “But I thought about it: the rallies on the carpet are small, oh – just do it. Somehow it just got better and better. “
He is now fit again and the win has given him confidence, he says, in what has been a “tough” year so far. “The men’s tour is tough. Everyone always wants to win, it’s all about the money for the players and everyone is fighting for their tennis careers, so to speak,” explains the 19-year-old. So it was not surprising that the first year was not going to be easy for the men. He has already achieved his goal for the season to be in the top 750.
He can go even further if he does well at the Wolfcran Open in Ismaning. Challengers have more points than future tournaments where he has played most so far. “I got some close defeats in Challengers,” Rehberg recalls. “After that I was told I was on the right track, but it was no consolation.” Now I feel that I can win even in big tournaments.” The first round starts on Monday with the famous competition in Ismaning. Frenchman Quentin Hallis (world number 74) is seeded at 1, but former world number 25 Canada’s Vasek Pospisil is also included.
