"MOIN LADIES": The tennis ladies are back in Hamburg!
Now the date is fixed! From July 7th to 11th, the women's tennis tournament of the Hamburg European Open will celebrate its premiere in the modernized tennis stadium at Hamburg's Rothenbaum.
by PM
last edit: Apr 22, 2021, 12:48 pm
For the first time in 19 years, the professional players of the WTA Tour are playing in the heart of the Hanseatic city! This means that the women's tournament will be held immediately before the men's event. On the women's final weekend (July 10th and 11th), the men's qualification will take place in parallel on Rothenbaum. The main draw competition of the ATP professionals will then be played from July 12th to 18th. The tournament name "Hamburg European Open" will in future include both the ATP and the WTA event.
“A linked women's and men's tournament is the best product for me. Hamburg now has a unique selling point in the German tennis landscape again, ”said tournament director Sandra Reichel on Thursday. Most recently, in 1999, a WTA and an ATP event were held in direct succession at Rothenbaum. The last women's tournament for the time being was won by Kim Clijsters from Belgium in 2002.
WTA boss Simon: "Hamburg will be one of the elite destinations on the WTA tour"
"We are pleased that we were able to find our desired date for the women together with our partners," emphasized Sandra Reichel. The women's qualification begins on July 5th without fans in order not to exceed the official requirements for the maximum number of event days allowed on the site. Sandra Reichel thanked the Sports Office of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, the German Tennis Association (DTB), the sports patron Alexander Otto and the Club on the Alster for the once more "lived and trusting partnership".
The discussions between the Reichel family and those responsible for the venerable Wimbledon tournament were also intensive. After all, the Hamburg WTA tournament is to be held in the second week of the lawn classic. “We got the green light from all sides. The tennis world is pleased that the traditional Hamburg location is back on the women's tennis map! ”, Said organizer Peter-Michael Reichel. Steve Simon, the CEO of the women's professional tennis organization WTA, emphasized: “We are very pleased that Hamburg is returning to the WTA calendar. With its long tennis history and its modernized Rothenbaum Stadium, Hamburg will become one of the elite destinations to showcase the WTA athletes and their great talent. We are looking forward to the tournament this year and the continuation of the tradition of women's professional tennis in Hamburg. ”The 2021 edition will be played with a 28-individual main field. 16 players start in the qualification, 16 pairings in the doubles competition.
"Safety First" remains the motto this year as well
The Reichel group of companies has been organizing the ATP 500 men's tournament in the Hanseatic city since 2019. For the women, she acquired the tournament license for the "Baltic Open" from Jurmala (Latvia), which was held once in July 2019 as part of the WTA 250 series, and transferred it to Hamburg. "We want to present as many German players as possible," emphasized Sandra Reichel. “The goal is of course that we prepare a stage for as many young talents as possible. The Club on the Alster currently has three players in its ranks who are part of the DTB's Porsche junior teams. I find that very exciting! "
In view of the ongoing corona pandemic, the health and safety of everyone involved is also the focus of the Hamburg European Open 2021. “The motto 'Safety first' still applies. We are continuously in talks with the Hamburg Sports Office and the health authority and, as in the previous year, will react flexibly to the situation. One thing is clear: We will only start selling tickets when we have more planning security in this regard, ”said Sandra Reichel. Together with her team, she prepares for various scenarios. For example, one of the concepts includes a test road for visitors.