Good news for all tennis fans: after the MercedesCup could not be held last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be time again in June for “game, set and match” at Stuttgart’s TC Weissenhof. The 42nd MercedesCup will take place from 7 to 13 June 2021 and will feature a top-class field. The winner of the tournament will receive a very special prize – the new EQS: the first all-electric Mercedes-Benz in the luxury class. Shortly before the start of the tournament, the EQS had been hovering high above the grass courts.
For the 42nd time, the Stuttgart brand with the star is the title sponsor of the MercedesCup. Numerous international tennis professionals have already confirmed their participation, despite a scheduling overlap with the French Open Grand Slam tournament. Besides the currently best German player, Alexander Zverev, the 19-year-old next-gen star Jannik Sinner from Italy will also be playing at Weissenhof. This however depends on his performance at the tournament in Paris. Furthermore, Germany’s number two Jan‑Lennard Struff and the three Canadians Denis Shapovalov, Milos Raonic and Felix Auger-Aliassime also plan to set course for Stuttgart.
“As the title sponsor of the MercedesCup, we are very pleased that the tournament can take place after the interruption last year,” says Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes‑Benz AG, responsible for Marketing & Sales. “The MercedesCup is the first stop of the grass court season, and the outstanding field of participants speaks for itself. I am excited to see which player will triumph and take home the new EQS.”
The winner’s car, the new EQS (electrical consumption NEDC combined: 20.0-19.1 kWh/100 km; CO2‑emissions: 0 g/km)[1], is a great incentive for the tennis pros. The all-electric luxury saloon from Mercedes‑EQ enthuses with ranges of up to 770 kilometers (according to WLTP) and an output of up to 385 kW. This means that the EQS also meets the demands of a progressive saloon in the S-Class segment in terms of powertrain. The MBUX Hyperscreen is one of the highlights in the interior of the new EQS. The large, curved screen elegantly spans almost the entire width from left to right A-pillar. Artificial intelligence (AI) plays an important role here: with adaptive software, the display and operating concept fully adjusts to the user and makes personalized suggestions for numerous infotainment, comfort and vehicle functions. The EQS will be an eye-catcher at Stuttgart’s Weissenhof.
The matches will be played on grass for the sixth time and are an important yardstick for the players in preparation for the legendary tournaments on the same playing surface. To be able to react to developments at the French Open at short notice, qualifying will begin on Monday, 7 June 2021, with the main draw starting one day later on Tuesday, 8 June 2021.
In addition to the strong field of participants and the EQS, 270-degree LED boards will also electrify the center court during the MercedesCup for the first time this year. The huge LED boards will frame the center court on three sides and display different graphics during the matches – from the toss of a coin before the first serve to the match point at the end of the last set. Mercedes-Benz will also be an integral part of the LED animation, providing entertainment between rallies. In addition, the LED boards will be used exclusively by Mercedes-Benz during the award ceremony. The matches of the main field will be broadcast on free TV and can be streamed via ServusTV. A newly developed event app will also provide tennis fans with the most important information about the tournament.
[1] Technical data of the EQS concerning mileage, range, output, torque, recuperation and performance in this publication is provisional, and was calculated internally in accordance with the applicable certification method. Confirmed TÜV figures, EC type approval and conformity certification with official figures are not yet available. Differences between the stated figures and the official figures are possible.
