Vienna, Basel - A bit of envy may be
In contrast to the southern neighbors Austria and Switzerland, Germany lacks a flagship event in the crucial phase of the ATP season. That was not always so.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit: Oct 29, 2019, 10:16 am
At the weekend, as a German tennis fan, you looked a bit jealous of your neighbors, the Austrian capital Vienna and the Swiss capital of Basel. Two toporganized indoor tournaments found an ideal ending, from a national point of view. In Vienna, Dominic Thiem won his most important title, securing himself as Local Hero with the so-called Austria Slam, the double from Kitzbühel and Vienna. Almost at the same time, Roger Federer marched to his tenth title in his hometown in Basel, where he had once dreamed of a great career as a ball boy in the St. Jakobs-Halle. It was the final climax in a once again great season for the maestro, as the 38-year-old had previously made an exclamation mark when he won the 100th career title in Dubai and the tenth title in Halle.
The very special indoor atmosphere, especially in autumn, when you can enjoy the stars on cold days in a cozy, well-stocked indoor room - you are missing in Germany at the moment. Nothing against the Challenger tournaments here and there, which offer good opportunities for many Germans from many generations: But they can not replace a major event like in Basel or Vienna. One with radiance and impact, as it used to be in Stuttgart, under the direction of impresario Ion Tiriac. Germany once had the highest density of top events in the season's final spurt, including the ATP World Championships in Frankfurt and Hanover, the Grand Slam Cup and tournaments for men and women (Faber Grand Prix). The ladies' masters also stopped in Germany in the meantime. The big Tourtennis ends in this country but already in the middle of summer, on Rothenbaum.
The German tournament landscape will change in the next year. New events are added, not least lawn tournaments under the patronage of the Wimbledon club. It is a pity that there is no place for a well-made indoor event in autumn, in the countdown to the World Championships of women and men. Both tour organizations follow the call of big money, and this lure leads them now for many weeks, usually in the distance - to Asia. The old markets can only rarely keep up. But tennis atmosphere as in Vienna or Basel can not be bought on the other hand.