Wild card for De Bakker and Rus

The international line-up of the Libéma Open (8-16 June) will have an extra Dutch contribution. Kiki Bertens will be joined by Arantxa Rus in the WTA tournament on the grass courts of Autotron ’s-Hertogenbosch and Thiemo de Bakker will play in addition to Robin Haase in the ATP tournament.

20-year-old Rus and 30-year-old De Bakker received a wild card from the organisation.

Rus made her debut in Rosmalen in 2007. Then, the current number 129 was defeated in the first round. Her best result is a place in the quarter-finals in 2017. Holland’s number 2 will play in the main tournament for the ninth time.

Rus will participate in the doubles tournament together with Michaëlla Krajicek. The winner of 2006 will only play doubles this year.

Demi Schuurs and Bertens will play as duo again this year. Schuurs on the doubles title last year together with Elise Mertens. The doubles specialist from Limburg reached the final with Bertens in 2017.

It will be De Bakker’s sixth appearance in the ATP 250-tournament in Rosmalen. Like Rus he made his debut in 2007. He participated for the last time in 2014 and reached the quarter-finals which was also his best result to date on the Brabant grass.

Libéma Open is a combined WTA/ATP-tournament. Bertens is the highest placed player. Other big names in the women’s tournament are Aryna Sabalenka, Elise Mertens and Belinda Benic. Aleksandra Krunic is the title defender.

Stefanos Tsitsipas is leading the line-up in the men’s tournament. The Greek will meet, among others, David Goffin, Frances Tiafoe, Grigor Dimitrov, Fernando Verdasco and title defender Richard Gasquet.

Lleyton Hewitt will play for the last time in the Netherlands during the Libéma Open in the doubles tournament.