Edwin Weindorfer - "Rafael Nadal was twice the starting helper"
Edwin Weindorfer leads the e-motion group as Managing Director alongside Herwig Straka. In Vienna, Weindorfer had its hands full in the past week.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Oct 30, 2019, 05:27 pm
tennisnet : Mr. Weindorfer: You and Herwig Straka are the tournament bosses in Vienna, Stuttgart, Mallorca, Berlin soon. How does the division of labor work?
Edwin Weindorfer : The tournament director in Vienna is the Herwig, in Stuttgart I am. That is strictly separated. But of course we are in both tournaments. And take care of our customers.
tennisnet : How did this success story start?
Edwin Weindorfer : Our history is now extremely long. In 1991 we organized a tournament in Graz in a shopping center. That was my idea that I brought from North America from the Edmonton Oilers. At that time they were training in a shopping mall. And then we found a sponsor. In 1992 they went to the roof with an ATP Challenger tournament. A few years later we got the Senior Tour.
tennisnet: We remember Boris Becker ....
Weindorf : Exactly, the Becker comeback. That was short - five minutes. But at some point the way was clear where we wanted to go. The Viennese tournament was not available at that time. And I went to Munich to negotiate with those responsible there. But the tournament was in good hands with Klaus Cyron. By accident we came to the conclusion that Stuttgart is free. And we secured the license there. The then board was extremely happy. And we were lucky that in the first year, 2007, Rafael Nadal won the tournament.
tennisnet : As in 2015.
Weindorf : The Rafa was in Stuttgart twice the starting helper for us. At our very first tournament and then at the first edition on turf. The license purchase for Vienna happened then a few years later.
Weindorfer - Wimbledon are interested in a better grass season
tennisnet : Meanwhile, the ladies have come too.
Weindorfer : Wimbledon is our partner. And they are also interested in making the grass season better. And so we came to the women's tournament in Mallorca. However, I have personally seen there rather an ATP tournament. That will be in the coming year, after we bought the license from Antalya. And there we will try to integrate Rafael Nadal more in the coming years. Maybe he wants to be tournament director. Maybe he will play again in the coming year.
tennisnet : Speaking of: Starting next year, you will be co-organizing the WTA grass tournament at the TC Rot-Weiß Berlin. With Barbara Rittner as tournament director. How come?
Weindorfer: Barbara Rittner is Head of Women's Tennis at the German Tennis Federation. For me she was always the first candidate. The patronage of Angela Merkel supports the tournament, then we have already hired Angelique Kerber. It is to become the largest women's sports event together with the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart. Barbara Rittner fits in very well with that. But Markus Zoecke, who is club manager at Rot-Weiß, will also be tournament ambassador.
Evening matches in Mallorca
tennisnet : How big is the business risk in a WTA tournament? At the tournament in Mallorca we did not always see full ranks.
Weindorfer: Well. This year we sold out at Sharapova vs Kerber with 2,600 people. However, the WTA did not give us floodlight approval. And then you play in the afternoon at 15 o'clock also and especially against the beach. The ATP gave us this permission. This year, we hosted Gayle Bradshaw, Head of Operations, in Mallorca. And we tested every night, even at midnight, to see if the grass got wet. We passed this test. That means we will start our main games at 8pm.
tennisnet : And in Berlin?
Weindorfer : I'm not worried about Berlin at all. I have been in business for more than 25 years now. And we have never had as much sponsorship interest as now in Berlin. We have had an incredible number of positive discussions with companies that said: In the capital, we want to be there. We do not have a title sponsor yet, but three, four very strong candidates.
tennisnet : Back to Vienna and Stuttgart: How important is a local hero for you as a tournament organizer?
Weindorfer : The tournament in Vienna has always worked well. You might not have 9,500 viewers, but 6,000 or 7,000. They had at a final with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Juan Martin del Potro also had. For being sold out in Vienna - that requires a Local Hero. I see Stuttgart a little differently. In 2018 we were spoiled by the start and the victory of Roger Federer, because we were sold out throughout. We were sold out again this Friday and Saturday. Not on Sunday - because the Stuttgart say: Since we have only two games. On the other hand, Stuttgart has a very knowledgeable audience. It also appreciates when not only the top stars play. But of course: If Alexander Zverev comes a long way, that's great for us in Stuttgart too.
"Ion Tiriac wants a hell of a lot of money"
tennisnet : A topic here in Vienna was also the possible upgrade to a 1000 tournament. Herwig Straka has moored this opportunity in the single-digit percentage range. What are the difficulties?
Weindorfer : Why would someone like Prince Albert sell his license for the tournament in Monte Carlo? Why Larry Ellison his for Indian Wells? They do not need money. And in addition: The ATP must agree. It is no secret that there were offers for a 1000 from the Middle East. Abu Dhabi about. Since the ATP has decided against it. The Masters in Rome is an event of the association, that in Canada too. Theoretically, there is only one thing to buy: that of Ion Tiriac in Madrid. And he wants a lot of money. But he does not get that in Europe. And he can not sell it to Asia because that would break the calendar.
tennisnet : One thing we still have: In Stuttgart, it was extremely striking, with what seriousness about Mike Bryan participated in the ProAm tournament. How important are such secondary venues for you as tournament director?
Weindorfer : Sporty that is of course irrelevant. In our case, the sponsors and celebrities are allowed to enter the sacred turf once. And then stand with top players on the court. The Bryans do their job off the court very well, for example with the concert where they always play three or four songs. The problem is: In Stuttgart, the two have never played on the center court. Because of the TV, I can send the two only from the semifinals on the Center Court. And they have never come that far.