Generali Race to Kitzbühel 2022: It starts on April 22nd!
The Generali Race to Kitzbühel 2022, the largest amateur tournament in Europe, starts on April 22nd. Once again this year, the winner can drive off the center court in Kitzbühel with a spectacular prize: an all-electric CUPRA Born.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Apr 06, 2022, 01:38 pm
The anticipation of organizer Alex Antonitsch and organizer Claus Lippert is palpable. Only a few days left until the Generali Race to Kitzbühel 2022 starts. In an interview with tennisnet, the two explain who can take part in Europe's largest amateur tournament, how the final tournament in Kitzbühel works and what there is to win this year.
tennisnet : Mr. Lippert. What is the greatest challenge for you as the organizer when it comes to starting the Generali Race to Kitzbühel?
Claus Lippert : There is certainly the appointment with the clubs to mention. We are holding the race during the time when the championship is being played in Austria. And many clubs do not have enough places to hold a qualifying tournament and the championship games at the same time.
tennisnet : When should it start this year?
Lippert : We will be in Vienna on April 22nd at the La Ville tennis club, a week later we will be at TC Annenheim in Carinthia.
Alex Antonitsch : After that, the game will actually be played through until the week before the Generali Open in Kitzbühel. We are planning twelve to 14 tournaments throughout Austria.
"The final tournaments will be decided in the tie-break shootout"
tennisnet : Compared to the last few years, something has changed in terms of the playing strength of the participants.
Antonitsch : The bulk of people who play are at an ITN of 4.0 and above. Our experience shows us that if someone then starts with a 2.5, then they are already players who play at college level in the USA, for example. That's going to be very, very strong. But we want to give the amateurs a real chance. And have decided that we will offer a total of six categories from an ITN of 4.0 up to an ITN of 9.0. However, if an ITN 7s thinks he or she can play in the ITN 5s, then they can. Of course not the other way around.
Lippert : We have also revised the handicap system. A ladies bonus is also new! The respective player is simply given a 0.500 credit on her current ITN when she is named! Really everyone should have a chance to emerge as a winner in the end. Incidentally, we have always had very good women at the start who have challenged the men a lot. Maybe we will have a winner in 2022!
tennisnet : What does the mode look like in concrete terms?
Lippert : In the qualifying tournaments, the singles game is regular, with the third set being a match tie-break. In the doubles competitions, the handicap system is already used in the race. This means that, according to ITN, weaker pairs start the match tie-break with a head start. The final tournaments will then be decided in singles and doubles in a tie-break shootout.
"There are no other amateur tournaments in the world with prizes like the Generali Race"
tennisnet : What is the prospect of winning the Generali Race this year?
Antonitsch : Together with our partners Generali and CUPRA, we are moving in the direction of sustainability. This year there is a CUPRA Born to win, a fully electric car worth 43,000 euros. This car will accompany us and will also be in many qualifying tournaments. In doubles last year we had great experiences with the SEAT Mo 125 electric scooter worth around 7,000 euros per scooter. There are also prizes to be won this year.
Lippert : Such bonuses do not exist at amateur tournaments anywhere else in the world. And what's more, the finalists play for this main prize on the Center Court in Kitzbühel as part of the Generali Open. No amount of money in the world can buy this opportunity.
Antonitsch : And meanwhile the fans also like to watch these final matches. The finalists play in front of 3,000 to 4,000 spectators. There are happy scenes like in huge titles. Philipp Oswald has already whispered to me: Even as a champion in doubles in Kitzbühel you don't get such a great prize as as a winner in the Generali Race.
Lippert : One more thing: The top eight will be accredited for Friday and Saturday at the Generali Open and will be at the facility as player's guests. This is unique.
Antonitsch : The final is scheduled for Saturday between the singles and doubles finals of the Generali Open.
"At every tournament in the race, backstage tickets for the Generali Open in Kitzbühel will be raffled"
tennisnet : In 2021 there was a record result in terms of participants. What do you expect for this year?
Lippert : Now that we're going even more into the classic hobby and amateur area, I'm assuming that we'll welcome even more participants than last year. Because the difference to the potentially best will be smaller.
Antonitsch : After our adjustments, the ITN 8.5 also has a real chance of winning the tournament. Interesting, by the way: I hear more and more from clubs that they also use the handicap system developed by Claus for club tournaments.
Lippert : The advantage is that with this system you can accommodate all club members in one tournament. That's what makes it exciting. Especially for one-day events, where the social component is also important. Incidentally, last year we had two 9.5 players who kicked out two 3.8 players with the handicap.
tennisnet : The last few years must have produced interesting stories, not just from a sporting point of view...
Lippert : Absolutely. At a qualifying tournament in Going, for example, we had a player whose parents drove 1,000 km on a weekend. He also played in the General Men's Championship in Munich and the Youth Championship in Kitzbühel. Or: At the last qualifying tournament we had over 200 participants, also in Going. That was a record on the TC Going facility.
Antonitsch : And we had a waiting list of 30 to 40 players twice last year. Also unique to an amateur tournament.
tennisnet : How can the players register?
Antonitsch : Best via the Generali Open website https://www.generaliopen.com . You can also register directly via ÖTV, which will accompany and support the Generali Race. And don't forget: You can also get starting gifts worth more than 40 euros, which also make sense for a tennis player. And at every tournament, backstage passes for Kitzbühel are raffled off.