Tennis | Otto Virtanen, who advanced to the US Open in tennis, speaks enthusiastically: “It’s a little different, what the Suomipoika is used to”

The US Open tennis tournament starts in New York on Monday. In men’s singles, Finland’s only representative is Otto Virtanen,when Eemil Ruusuvuori announced on Saturday that he was withdrawing from the race.

Finnish hope rests in the men’s doubles Harri Heliövaaran on the shoulders. The past year has been memorable for Heliövaara, because the Wimbledon win of Henry Patten with was a big piece of Finnish football history. Finns are participating in the junior series of the tournament Oskari Paldanius.

Virtanen (ATP-125) managed his way to the tournament wonderfully through the qualifying round. The place was secured late on Thursday evening, when the Finnish gambler defeated the French in the third round of the qualifiers Lucas Pouille in three sets 7–6 (7–2), 1–6, 6–3.

“Certainly a challenging week ahead for everyone. Everyone has carefully prepared for this bigger competition,” Virtanen reflected.

In the US Open, Virtanen will be released on Tuesday, when he will face the Frenchman Quentin Halys (ATP-119).

“He is in a good mood. The qualifier would have had the opportunity to meet, for example Novak Djokovic or Carlos Alcaraz. The last grand slam tournament, so let’s take all the joy out of this.”

Virtanen says that he fully enjoys what New York has to offer.

“It’s a little different from what Suomipoika is used to. There are many options to spend your free time, for example, with food or other activities. In Manhattan, you can go from morning to night, and it’s a nice change for the player.”

Those who follow tennis experienced a big surprise on Saturday, when the 25-year-old Ruusuvuori announced that he was withdrawing from the US Open. He had to face a real star in the opening round of the singles, when he would have faced Germany, ranked fourth in the tournament Alexander Zverev.

“I came here (to the United States) to prepare for the last grand slam of the year, but I’m not ready to compete yet. My team and I are working hard to get back on the field after a difficult period. Day by day, week by week”, Ruusuvuori wrote message service in X.

World number one player Jannik Sinner jump onto the field on Tuesday. The player who has been in a lot of trouble lately will face the American in his opening match Mackenzie McDonald (ATP-140). Sinner gave two positive doping test samples in March, but ITIA, the body that oversees the ethics of tennis, announced on Tuesday that he survived without a ban.

Serbian star Djokovic (ATP-2) will face the Moldovan in his opening round match Radu Albotin.