Two of the biggest stars of modern tennis – Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev, briefly broke away from their sporting commitments to visit one of the most iconic cultural landmarks of the Austrian capital. Before participating in the ATP 500 tournament “Erste Bank Open“ the two toured the Vienna State Opera in the company of the tournament director Herwig Straka.
The Spaniard and the German, who occupy the second and third place in the world rankings, had the opportunity to get up close and personal with the history and architecture of the magnificent building on the “Ringstrasse“ boulevard. The director of the opera house, Bogdan Roscic, personally showed them around the iconic complex and told them more about Vienna's rich cultural heritage.
The visit was not only about history and art. The two tennis players posed for a photo shoot on stage, and then demonstrated their skills with rackets in hand. Alcaraz and Zverev traded blows both on stage and on the building's impressive main staircase.
Their tour continued with a visit to the opera's famous Tea Room and central box.
“It's always impressive to visit world-famous opera houses, and I've already seen quite a few of them“, shared Zverev after the experience.
Carlos Alcaraz also expressed his admiration for the visit, which turned out to be particularly special for him.
“This is a place steeped in history and it's really impressive. I've never been inside an opera before, so it's incredibly exciting for me to be here and see it all with my own eyes. It's great to learn more about such a historical scene and experience it from the inside,“ said the Spaniard.
After the unusual cultural experience, the two tennis players will turn their attention to their upcoming matches in Vienna, where they will fight for success in the prestigious competition on the ATP calendar.