By Mark Winters
With all the quarterfinal singles slots filled by the end of the day, one thing is unmistakably clear – upsets have been the theme of the twenty-sixth version of the Gerry Weber Open, taking place in Halle Westfalen, Germany. Alexander Zverev of Germany, Dominic Thiem of Austria, Lucas Pouille of France, Kei Nishikori of Japan and Richard Gasquet of France, the No. 2, 3, 5, 7 and 8 seeds, are not included in the last eight count.
Those five formidable performers didn’t live up to their pre-tournament billing. Neither did “hometown” hero Philipp Kohlschreiber, the No. 6 seed. He was dispatched by Matthew Ebden of Australia, in an early afternoon encounter, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. While the decision over Kohlschreiber was a solid victory, it became even more noteworthy when it is noted that Ebden earned a place in the draw as a Special Exempt.
Many tennis fans, even those with encyclopedic knowledge of the game, are more than likely not familiar with the term. The concept is further complicated by a variety of circumstances that affect whether a player can qualify for a Special Exempt, such as when the qualifying draw for the next tournament he is planning to play is going to be made.
Rather than put readers to sleep with exacting details, generally ATP events have Special Exempt (at most, two) places in the draw that are open for a qualified performer. In the case of the 30-year-old Australian, his success in reaching the semifinals at ‘s-Hertogenbosch (before losing to Jeremy Chardy of France, 6-4, 7-5), made him eligible for a Special Exempt.
Ebden explained, “I have been eligible for a Special Exempt in the past, but it has never worked out. There have been a number of reasons why. In one case, the tournament was on a different surface than I had been playing on. In another, the tournament was on another continent, so it wasn’t practical to try to get there. Last summer, I was a finalist at Newport, and could have received a Special Exempt in Atlanta, but I had qualified for the tournament and I played seven matches, so I decided to use the week to rest. Halle is my first Special Exempt.”
Because of the complexity of the rules, there is more to Ebden’s Special Exempt status. “There were two Special Exempts open, one was at Halle and the other was at Queen’s,” Ebden said. “I was the highest ranked player and had the first choice. Ordinarily, I would go to Queen’s, but Jeremy (Chardy) is a good friend and he lives in London. That’s why I decided to come here and let him play at home.” (Chardy, by the way, is a Queen’s quarterfinalist.)
For an individual who turned pro in 2006, and Ebden is, to use a cliché, a journeyman, But, that doesn’t mean he is ordinary. In truth, he is an extraordinary combination. He is truly affable and a very thoughtful conversationalist. When he was eleven-years-old, his family emigrated from Durban, South Africa to Perth, Australia. As he matured he evidenced skill on the courts as well as in the classroom. He skipped a year of high school and when he departed, scored 98.5 on the exam that qualified him to study for a double – economics/law – degree at the University of Western Australia.
Tennis, though, was his calling, and he has pursued his passion diligently. During his career, he has claimed fourteen Challenger and International Tennis Federation titles and he also has a collection of victories over Top 10 players in ATP tournaments. He has represented Australia in Davis Cup play, and in 2013, he and countrywoman Jarmila Gajdošová received an Australian Open wild card and ended up winning the Mixed Doubles championship.
Following his win today, Ebden discussed his playing style saying, “It is natural for me to play an all-court game. I can change from hitting the ball heavy to taking speed off shots and making them slower. I am able to hit it flat or with spin. I can do a little bit of everything, and I have very good hands.”
The loss gave Kohlschreiber a 31-12 career Halle record. “I thought my opponent just played very well,” the 2011 champion said. “He barely made any mistakes and he read my serve well. He robbed me of my rhythm by changing tempo. He worked very well slicing and keeping the ball deep.”
Rafael Nadal’s terre battue record places him in an unrivaled, “stand alone”, category. Ebden, because he isn’t well known, has quietly become one of the game’s most successful grass court player. “In 2015, I won fifteen matches on grass,” he said. “Novak Djokovic was the Wimbledon champion and won seven matches at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, but he didn’t play Queen’s. Andy Murray won Queen’s then lost to Roger Federer at Wimbledon. He won a total of eleven matches at the two tournaments.” Prior to Halle, Ebden’s grass court record during his twelve seasons on the tour was 87-44.
Ebden has an affinity for grass court play. “When I was growing up in Australia, I practiced and played on it regularly,” he said. “Once Roland Garros is finished, I head to London to practice on to the grass court and play some of the tournaments that are available. For me, it’s like coming home. I am just so comfortable on grass.”
Admitting that he had only watched the Gerry Weber Open on television, he added, “We (his coach) looked at the acceptance list and decided after I had been successful at ‘s-Hertogenbosch that Halle was nearby, and we should have a new experience.”
Many tennis insiders are very direct when evaluating Ebden, the regular response is – Far too intelligent. When told about the “word on the street”, he smiled and said, “For many years, I thought too much. I tried to be too analytical. I’ve spent years developing my game and always believed I had many options. Now, I am simplifying things and I know that my best tennis is ahead.”
Having reached a career high No. 60 ranking this week, Matthew Ebden has defined what it means to be Special Exempt.
