The Halle Open, sponsored by Gerry Weber, is growing in size and stature every year, with Sky Sports even choosing to broadcast it this year, but who will be victorious with Wimbledon around the corner?
Despite it taking place at the same time as the legendary AEGON Championships at Queen's Club, the events at Halle are attracting more and more star players every year. It's centre court boasts a marvelously advanced roof, which can close in less than 90 seconds, and, this year, its prize money has doubled, now falling just short of €1.7 million.
Last year
In 2014, when the draw was announced, few expected anything else but a Rafael Nadal v Roger Federer final.
However, arguably the tournament's biggest ever shock occurred in round two as wild card Dustin Brown defeated Nadal, who was the world number one at the time, in straight sets. An epic three set encounter between him and Philipp Kohlschreiber ended Brown's run in the quarter-finals, whilst another German wild card, Peter Gojowczyk, surprisingly defeated Milos Raonic in the second round too.
Qualifier Pierre-Hugues Herbert overcame Jerzy Janowicz in the first round in another shock, as Federer's potential challengers dropped like flies. Kei Nishikori provided him with a tough test in the last eight, the Japanese having overcome eccentric Frenchman Gael Monfils earlier in the tournament, but Federer advanced in straight sets to the final.
There, he met Alejandro Falla who, upon his arrival to the match, became the first Colombian to ever reach the final of a grass court tournament. However, his inexperience showed as Federer dispatched him in straight sets, though both went to a tiebreak.
Who's in action this year?
This year, Federer will return to defend a title he was won for the last two consecutive years, as well as a further five times before that - including a four year reign which saw him lift the trophy every year between 2003 and 2006.
The likes of Monfils, Nishikori and Tomas Berdych will challenge him for the title, whilst Kohlschreiber, Janowicz and Bernard Tomic will hope to swoop in under the radar, using their underdog status.
The Draw
The draw has perhaps not been kind to its reigning champion, with Federer having to face Kohlschreiber in the first round. If he gets through this, he could have to then revisit one of the lowest moments in his career by facing Sergiy Stakhovsky, the man who knocked him out in the second round of Wimbledon in 2013 - that is, if the Ukrainian defeats Ernests Gulbis first.
Tomic could follow, and then a tricky semi-final clash with third seed Berdych or Ivo Karlovic, who has one of the biggest serves in tennis, depending on who progresses to that stage.
The other half of the draw features Tommy Robredo, Monfils, Nishikori, Janowicz and Pablo Cuevas, the latter two who face each other in the first round, one of the best matches of the round along with Federer v Kohlschreiber and Nishikori v Dominic Thiem. Wild card Brown also features in the bottom half, and could meet the winner of Nishikori and Thiem if he beats his first opponent, Andreas Haider-Maurer.
Potentially, if the favourites progress as expected, we are looking at some enticing matches. Federer v Tomic and Berdych v Karlovic will be the bookies' favourites for the two quarter-finals in the top half of the draw, whilst Robredo v Monfils and Nishikori v Cuevas or Janowicz is what could be in store in the bottom half.
Who's the favourite?
Federer is obviously the bookies' pick this year, given his well-proven quality, high experience and because he is searching for his third successive win in Halle. The Swiss also boasts a wonderful record at the tournament, having played 51 matches and won 46 of them, and comes into the event having just reached the quarter-finals of the French Open, where he lost only to eventual champion, Stan Wawrinka.
Nishikori will be his nearest challenger. He comes into the tournament off the back of his best ever run in Roland Garros, reaching the quarter-finals to lose only to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, rallied by his home crowd, who came out on top in five sets. He will be the favourite to meet Federer in the final, which would be a marvellous match-up given that the two of them will have worked hard to get there too, facing some great seeded players en route.
Monfils is another potential threat to Federer's crown. He was marvellous in Paris this month, thriving off a lively crowd in his home Open and showing that incredible never say die attitude to stage some equally incredible comebacks. However, he was dispatched by none other than Federer himself in the fourth round, in four sets. He comes to Halle having just reached the semi-finals of the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart, losing only to Nadal, and will be confident given his recent form.
Dark horse?
Kohlschreiber is certainly the competition's dark horse, in my opinion, this year. He will playing in front of his home crowd and he has shown time and time again that he can go toe-to-toe with the very best in the game. He was defeated by Monfils just last week in three sets in Stuttgart, but only narrowly in a match that finished 7-5 3-6 6-3 to the Frenchman.
On his day, Kohlschreiber is marvellous, and although the draw has been harsh on him this year, if the crowd can help their fellow German, and best hope in the tournament, to victory over Federer in round one, there is no reason why he cannot go all the way and take the Swiss' crown.
Thiem is another to watch as he continues to show great promise. The 21-year-old, currently ranked at his career-best of 30th, was beaten by Cuevas in round two at Roland Garros, but really matched the world's number 23 in an enthralling four set match that contained two tie breaks.
He won his first career ATP World Tour title just last month too, defeating Gulbis, Nick Kyrgios, John Isner and Leonardo Mayer to do so in Nice, France. There's no doubt that Thiem is currently playing the best tennis of his senior career, and he will be eager to build up momentum before Wimbledon in order to surpass his best first round finish.
Brown is also back in action and will be spurred on by the German crowd, who will have surely not forgotten the memory of him defeating Nadal last year. The 30-year-old has the chance to claim some big scalps again this year with the second, fourth and sixth seeds all in his half of the draw, and we already know he rises to the occasion. Grass is arguably Brown's best surface too, with his third round best at Wimbledon his best at any of the four grand slams.
Prediction
Federer is obviously many peoples' pick for the tournament, and they fully expect him to retain his title, as will he himself and the majority of those watching on. However, he will come across enough tough tests in Halle to be punished for any lapses in concentration. If he slips up, then Nishikori is unlikely to hesitate and should capitalise by winning his first ever title on grass.