Erste Bank Open: Straka - "Wiener Stadthalle will be the safest place in town for next week"
Tournament boss Herwig Straka is looking forward to the great starting field at the Erste Bank Open 2020 despite all difficult circumstances.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Oct 25, 2020, 02:55 pm
These are not easy times for tournament organizers. The corona numbers are increasing, in return, the spectator capacities and thus also the income opportunities for the tournaments decrease. Who is currently still organizing an event, despite all the uncertainties? Automatically takes a risk.
"The last few weeks have been extremely challenging for us as we couldn't really plan with fixed values," said tournament director Herwig Straka at the press conference on the Erste Bank Open on Sunday. "Nevertheless, we are happy that we can at least play in front of 1,000 spectators and we strive to offer them a particularly safe environment in Vienna." Even more: "The Wiener Stadthalle will be the safest place in the city for the next week."
Bubble at the Erste Bank Open too
Straka had already commented on the bubble in advance. "It's called 'Restricted Environment', but it's a bubble," said Straka in an interview in the krone.at sports studio . Originally one wanted to give the players at least the opportunity to go to a restaurant in the evening and stay in their own areas; the latest developments mean that the players have to stay on the system or in the hotel, where their own floors are rented. Areas in the town hall itself are also cordoned off so that there is no mix-up between players and other people.
A rejection was always an issue, but at least the ATP lowering the prize money gave you a little more leeway. Especially since hardly any entry fees were paid this year. The hope: to build a tournament for the partners and players so that they can also be there in the years to come. Like superstar Novak Djokovic, for example.
Sports Minister Kogler: "Life has to go on, that works best with sport"
At the press conference, Sports Minister Werner Kogler also said a big thank you "to the team around Herwig Straka that the tournament can take place this year as well." There are "unusual, difficult and demanding times, but we as the federal government try to allow as much as possible. Our line is: Life must go on and that works best with sport."
In addition, there should be a default liability for organizers in the future if, as in Vienna, the audience is restricted to the plan.
Defending champion Dominic Thiem also praised the organization in Vienna. The tournament is super organized, says the Lichtenwörther, "they did everything for us players. The hotel, the food, the transfer - everything is great."
With Kei Nishikori, Thiem already meets a top-class player at the beginning, in the event of a victory with Stan Wawrinka or Jannik Sinner and also Andrey Rublev, tough competition.
Erste Bank Open 2020 in the Wiener Stadthalle: All information, TV, players, favorites