A touch of Wimbledon at the Kurpark
Bad Homburg, 11 July 2020 – On the second weekend in July in 2018, exactly two years ago, Angelique Kerber fulfilled her biggest dream in sports by winning Wimbledon. 728 days later, she again experienced something memorable on her favourite surface. On Saturday, the 32-year old officially inaugurated the Centre Court of the Bad Homburg Open.
”This was definitely a very special feeling. In general, this great atmosphere at the Kurpark and, in particular, this beautifully laid out grass court have increased the anticipation for next year’s premiere even more,” said Kerber, who functions as the tournament ambassador for the WTA event.
The first edition of the Bad Homburg Open had to be postponed to 2021 due to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, on Saturday, a hint of Wimbledon blew through the history-rich Kurpark where the first tennis court on the European continent was built in 1876.
Kerber/Schüttler vs. Guth/Kohlmann – A number of honorary guests
Kerber and the Fed Cup Team Captain Rainer Schüttler, who originates from Hesse, encountered the 17-year old upcoming hopeful Mara Guth and Davis Cup Team Captain Michael Kohlmann in an exhibition mixed on the “Spielbank Bad Homburg“ Centre Court. Guth is one of the biggest German tennis talents and comes from Merzhausen, a part of the city of Usingen.
Kerber was also honoured on this Saturday which was so special for her: Due to her outstanding contributions to German tennis, she was awarded the honorary membership of the German Tennis Federation (DTB).
Due to the Corona regulations, the event at the site of the TC Bad Homburg was not open to the public and the number of participants was strictly limited. The mayor of Bad Homburg, Alexander Hetjes, as well as the President of the German Tennis Federation (DTB), Ulrich Klaus, the President of the hosting club TC Bad Homburg, Dr. Uwe
Eyles, the President of the Homburg TG, Ralph Gotta, as well as the President of the Hessian Tennis Federation (HTV), Kai Burkhardt were among the guests of honour.
Kerber hands over Generali donation cheque – Greetings from Wimbledon
After the show match, the three-time Grand Slam winner Kerber as UNICEF ambassador, together with her sponsor Generali, handed over a donation cheque in the amount of Euro 25,000 to the UNICEF Children’s Emergency Fund.
Furthermore, the spa town received a special message – sent by: Church Road. “The AELTC has supported the organisers of the Bad Homburg Open for many months as they prepared to host their inaugural event, originally scheduled for June this year in the lead up to The Championships, Wimbledon, until the coronavirus pandemic intervened. We are delighted that the grass courts which the team at Bad Homburg had been working so hard to carefully cultivate with the guidance from our Wimbledon groundstaff could be opened”, said Wimbledon-Chairman Ian Hewitt: ”We are delighted that the grass courts which the team at Bad Homburg had been working so hard to carefully cultivate with the guidance from our Wimbledon groundstaff could be opened.”
Even the grass seeds for the three tournament courts at the TC Bad Homburg site and the three practice courts at the Homburg TG site were imported from the island.
Petkovic: “The best gift I could have been given”
Tournament Director Dr. Aljoscha Thron also spoke of a “very emotional and beautiful day for all participants” after the opening event. The enthusiasm for the project is unabated. “The entire team is already working with great enthusiasm to make the fascination of grass court tennis and a hint of Wimbledon come alive at the Kurpark next summer.
Thron also made another encouraging announcement: Apart from the German number one Kerber and the former Wimbledon semi-finalist Julia Görges, Andrea Petkovic will also take part in the Bad Homburg Open next summer.
“When I heard that there will be a WTA tournament in Hessen, I was completely thrilled. To be able to play at home in front of my home crowd at the end of my career is the best gift that could have been given to me,” Petkovic, who comes from Darmstadt, which is about 50 kilometres away, explained. The former world number nine, who has also been convincing as presenter of the ZDF television programme “Sportreportage”, is considered a crowd favourite.
Tickets for the Bad Homburg Open 2021, which will take place from 20 to 26 June and under the motto of “TENNIS IS COMING HOME”, will be available within the next weeks. Tickets can be purchased online in cooperation with our partner Reservix on the tournament website www.badhomburg-open.de or via the hotline (0049 (0) 180 – 60 50 400). Tickets which have already been purchased for the Bad Homburg Open 2020 will remain valid for the tournament next summer.
REVIEW OF THE SECOND EDITION OF THE BAD HOMBURG OPEN 2022
Dear tennis fans, spectators, sponsors and supporters,
The Bad Homburg Open presented by Engel & Völkers 2022 is officially history – but all the emotions, the special moments and unique pictures of an unforgettable week will hopefully remain in your memories for a long time. The still young history of the tournament has been enriched by a memorable chapter, thanks to your support.
We are happy that after the premiere with restrictions last year, we were finally able to celebrate the Grand Opening this summer. With a top field of participants, Wimbledon flair, festival atmosphere and an open concept which was met with great approval and proved its worth. The Bad Homburg Open presented by Engel & Völkers for everyone in the historic Kurpark, plus the Mexican waves on the stands – grand tennis emotions… we all couldn’t have wished for more?!
The Baloise Park Village, which is open to the public, attracted visitors on all tournament days with a varied show programme and culinary delights. On the matchcourts 1+2, which were also open to the public, there were qualifying matches, live training sessions of the professionals and some sessions with Wimbledon Head Coach Dan Bloxham, who had travelled especially from the famous Church Road.
The positive feedback from spectators and players encourages us to continue on our path and take on new challenges so that we can further optimise the tournament experience for everyone. Because in June 2023, Wimbledon will start again in Bad Homburg – at least to a certain degree!
We are already looking forward to welcoming you again in the Kurpark!
Your Bad Homburg Open Team
ANGELIQUE KERBER CROWNED THE WINNER OF THE INAUGURAL BAD HOMBURG OPEN PRESENTED BY ENGEL & VÖLKERS
It is a wonderful story with a grandiose ending: Angelique Kerber, the tournament ambassador of the Bad Homburg Open presented by Engel & Völkers, was intensively involved in the planning and organisation of the new grass court event and, especially during the tournament week, endeavoured to optimally fulfil her dual function as player and representative: In the end, she succeeded in doing both perfectly!
The player from Kiel won the final on Saturday at the Spielbank Bad Homburg Centre Court against the Czech Katerina Siniakova with a scoreline of 6:3, 6:2. After 1:25 hours Kerber converted her third match point and was visibly moved afterwards. “This title means so much to me. I’m happy to have finally won another tournament. It couldn’t have gone better. Of course it was a special tournament for me – and I felt incredibly comfortable here.” the left-hander shared in an on-court interview after her “home victory”. Kerber now travels to Wimbledon full of self-confidence, and “without pressure”. The tournament starts on Monday.
Kerber thrills spectators – Great atmosphere and Mexican Wave
At the beginning of the final, Kerber and Siniakova were both nervous. The serve was especially shaky on both sides: Kerber dropped her service twice in the first set, Siniakova even three times. After 43 minutes, Kerber, seeded fourth, won the opening set to cheers of the spectators and looked relieved into her box, where her grandparents were sitting.
However, the world No. 76 Siniakova did not give in even after trailing 0:2 in the second set. Long and intense rallies developed. The fans were thrilled. However, Angelique Kerber managed to pull away, bringing the score from 2:2 to 5:2. A forehand winner gave her the first two match points, but Siniakova fought them off with desperation. Shortly afterwards, Kerber pulled through and was triumphant!
600 spectators cheered the three-time Grand Slam winner on the Spielbank Bad Homburg Centre Court and – as on the previous day – there was even a Mexican wave.
The 33-year-old won her 13th WTA title in Bad Homburg – her first tournament victory since the biggest triumph of her career so far in 2018 on the holy lawn in Wimbledon. Kerber should now start the Major tournament with great self-confidence.
A perfect week ended with a special highlight for the tournament ambassador. And Angelique Kerber made no secret of what this meant to her. “It turned out to be such a beautiful tournament. I’m proud of that and grateful to the people who made this great premiere possible. It was important to me that everyone really felt comfortable here: Fans, spectators and players.”
There was much praise from Kvitova, Siegemund & more for the new grass event in the Kurpark
The organisers also drew a thoroughly positive conclusion after seven days of the tournament and the happy ending for Kerber. The best possible start under challenging conditions is to be followed by a carefree and great tennis festival for the entire region from next year onwards. Among other things, it is planned to make the two side courts in front of the Kaiser-Wilhelms-Bad accessible free of charge. The enormous potential of the grass event with Wimbledon flair is to be fully developed from 2022.
Tournament ambassador Kerber was already pleased with the overwhelmingly positive feedback from her colleagues. “It’s a new event – but I can already recommend it. Everyone involved here knows how to create great conditions,” said, Petra Kvitova, the top seed in the spa town and two-time Wimbledon champion, who found her way to Bad Homburg alongside other top stars (including Simona Halep and Sloane Stephens). In the semi-finals, the Czech Kvitova lost to Kerber (6:3, 4:6, 6:7) in a thrilling match.
Quarter-finalist Laura Siegemund (Filderstadt) also praised the “professional” organisation of the Bad Homburg Open presented by Engel & Völkers: “Everything went like clockwork. That is not always to be expected when a tournament is held for the first time,” said the German number two full of praise.
Local favourite Andrea Petkovic, who was eliminated in the round of 16, was impressed by the character of the boutique tournament, “there is a lot of attention to detail,” emphasised the player from Darmstadt.
WTA CEO LETTER BY STEVE SIMON
Dear Tennis Fans,
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Germany for the exciting inaugural edition of the Bad Homburg Open presented by Engel & Volkers, which will showcase the world’s best tennis players.
Last season presented significant challenges – to tennis, the sports industry and the world as a whole – and the WTA with everyone is still navigating safely through these unprecedented times.
Whether you are with us here at the magnificent Kurpark or following the event remotely via broadcast or the Tour’s digital platforms, we hope you enjoy the action, entertainment and inspiration the athletes of the WTA provide. It’s because of our loyal fanbase that tennis is the leading global sport for women.
It has required tremendous hard work and collaboration to be able to stage the Bad Homburg Open presented by Engel & Volkers this year, across sponsors, local suppliers, dedicated tournament staff and volunteers, and I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to the team in Bad Homburg and the government of Germany for their ongoing commitment to women’s professional tennis.
As we reach the halfway point of the 2021 season, we remain optimistic that a return to normality in tennis and for the world is on the horizon, and I look forward to continuing the WTA story with you.
Stay safe.
Sincerely,
Steve Simon
Chairman & CEO
WTA – Women’s Tennis Association
BELIEVE AND ACHIEVE: EBEL COMES HOME TO PRO TENNIS AS OFFICIAL TIMEKEEPER OF BAD HOMBURG OPEN 2021
We are proud to announce the new partnership with EBEL as the official timekeeper at Bad Homburg Open 2021. EBEL celebrates this official Tennis home coming and returns home to the heart of the action. See the EBEL Sport Classic Lady Red and Discovery Blue in action at the Bad Homburg Open this summer!
The world of professional tennis has always been an emotional arena for EBEL. EBEL became globally known through tennis and particularly with its Sport Classic collection that was launched in 1977, which established a new identity of sport-chic design. Thanks to its ‘second-skin’ effect made possible by its perfect case and bracelet integration, this collection has become an icon in luxury watch design and has since become an enduring favorite with generations of tennis champions.
EBEL became synonymous with tennis, as a pioneer in collaborating with the most renowned players and as a key sponsor of prestigious tennis tournaments like the Davis Cup, Monte-Carlo Open or Swiss Indoors Basel. “In the 1980s and through to the mid-1990s, EBEL was huge in tennis, maybe even bigger than any other brand… being the official timekeeper in various high-profile tournaments and worn by Yannick Noah, André Agassi and Boris Becker”, wrote Miguel Seabra – special editor on both tennis and timepieces – looking back over EBEL’s impact on the game during the late twentieth century.
EBEL celebrates this official Tennis home coming with EBEL Sport Classic Lady red mother-of-pearl dial and this time, EBEL also shares the spotlight to the more vibrant and sportier EBEL Discovery Lady in striking blue galvanic dial. Both sensual and stylish, the striking retro red and blue dials give a pop of retro-chic delight infused with luxurious and iconic forms and elegance.
Co-founded by a woman in 1911, Switzerland, EBEL has always been imbued with strong feminine values. Its success has been built upon the perfect fusions of technical excellence, a passion for aesthetically daring, and timeless, distinctive design. During the late 1980s, EBEL became the first major brand to support world renowned women tennis players. This new collaboration with Bad Homburg Open is an effort to recognize and support women’s distinctive contributions in sport.
IT’S A MATCH! FINE JEWELLERY BRAND OLE LYNGGAARD ANNOUNCED AS NEW PREMIUM PARTNER OF BAD HOMBURG OPEN
Tennis has a very long history in the Lynggaard Family. Founder Ole, who started his fine jewellery business in 1963, is a passionate tennis player and still practices twice a week. His son and CEO of the Copenhagen-based family business Søren, is one of his favorite tennis opponents, so they regularly break their office routines for a little match. No wonder, Søren Lynggaard, a motivated sportsman himself, who is also very much into skiing and kite surfing, always dreamt of a dynamic partnership in the field of tennis – a sport equally elegant to the beautiful jewellery designs of his father Ole and sister Charlotte Lynggaard.
In 2019, the perfect match came up and OLE LYNGGAARD COPENHAGEN signed its first official ambassador contract with tennis star Angelique Kerber. Shared values such as passion, joy of life and playfulness created an instant connection between the grand slam champion and the Danish family business. Supporting the WTA women’s tennis tournament in Germany therefore was a natural next step within this partnership.
The Lynggaard family strongly believes in the concept of setting up a boutique tournament in one of their strongest markets. OLE LYNGGAARD COPENHAGEN therefore happily reveals to be present with their first pop-up store in Germany and invites all guests to experience the fine jewellery brand in Bad Homburg.
Interview with Søren Lynggaard, CEO Ole Lynggaard Copenhagen
How did it feel to play tennis with Angie on lawn at our opening event and what do you think about Bad Homburg?
It was my first time playing tennis on a grass court, in a beautiful setting, and in the company of a Grand Slam champion – of course it was a truly unique experience.
What are the parallels between playing tennis and your daily business life?
Always keeping the focus.
How do OLE LYNGGAARD COPENHAGEN and Tennis match?
Through values like passion, joy of life and playfulness. I consider all three highly present in tennis and is also something that we incorporate in our daily operations in the company.
What is the fascination of tennis for you?
Personally, it has created an important bond between my father and I, and it is also a great way to spend time with friends and family on a regular basis.
You have already played with Angie – is there anyone else you would love to playwith? Who is it and why?
Maybe one of our Danish tennis players – Caroline Wozniacki or shooting star, Clara Tauson.
What are you looking forward to the most in this partnership?
To explore exiting new paths for the brand, to strengthen it and to create awareness through German sports icons.
What is the story behind the elephant that Angie is wearing?
In 1991, our whole family went on safari in Tanzania to celebrate the 25th wedding anniversary of my parents. My father surprised my mother with his very first elephant design as a present on this occasion. Developing various elephant designs over the years, he was proud to introduce the collection of naturalistic elephant pendants at his 80th anniversary in 2016. With its kind appearance and natural curviness, the elephant collection has won the hearts of women – and men – across the globe. The collection has proven its worth as a true brand icon, so we are very proud to see Angie as our ambassador wearing it as her lucky charm. The epitome of loyalty, strength, and courage, the elephant possesses all the qualities my father ever wanted represented in his brand.
What can the players look forward to?
The first and second prize is a piece of jewellery from OLE LYNGGAARD COPENHAGEN, which we are very much looking forward to presenting. Overall, this is a very exciting project!
KERBER TO INAUGURATE CENTRE COURT
A touch of Wimbledon at the Kurpark
Bad Homburg, 11 July 2020 – On the second weekend in July in 2018, exactly two years ago, Angelique Kerber fulfilled her biggest dream in sports by winning Wimbledon. 728 days later, she again experienced something memorable on her favourite surface. On Saturday, the 32-year old officially inaugurated the Centre Court of the Bad Homburg Open.
”This was definitely a very special feeling. In general, this great atmosphere at the Kurpark and, in particular, this beautifully laid out grass court have increased the anticipation for next year’s premiere even more,” said Kerber, who functions as the tournament ambassador for the WTA event.
The first edition of the Bad Homburg Open had to be postponed to 2021 due to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, on Saturday, a hint of Wimbledon blew through the history-rich Kurpark where the first tennis court on the European continent was built in 1876.
Kerber/Schüttler vs. Guth/Kohlmann – A number of honorary guests
Kerber and the Fed Cup Team Captain Rainer Schüttler, who originates from Hesse, encountered the 17-year old upcoming hopeful Mara Guth and Davis Cup Team Captain Michael Kohlmann in an exhibition mixed on the “Spielbank Bad Homburg“ Centre Court. Guth is one of the biggest German tennis talents and comes from Merzhausen, a part of the city of Usingen.
Kerber was also honoured on this Saturday which was so special for her: Due to her outstanding contributions to German tennis, she was awarded the honorary membership of the German Tennis Federation (DTB).
Due to the Corona regulations, the event at the site of the TC Bad Homburg was not open to the public and the number of participants was strictly limited. The mayor of Bad Homburg, Alexander Hetjes, as well as the President of the German Tennis Federation (DTB), Ulrich Klaus, the President of the hosting club TC Bad Homburg, Dr. Uwe
Eyles, the President of the Homburg TG, Ralph Gotta, as well as the President of the Hessian Tennis Federation (HTV), Kai Burkhardt were among the guests of honour.
Kerber hands over Generali donation cheque – Greetings from Wimbledon
After the show match, the three-time Grand Slam winner Kerber as UNICEF ambassador, together with her sponsor Generali, handed over a donation cheque in the amount of Euro 25,000 to the UNICEF Children’s Emergency Fund.
Furthermore, the spa town received a special message – sent by: Church Road. “The AELTC has supported the organisers of the Bad Homburg Open for many months as they prepared to host their inaugural event, originally scheduled for June this year in the lead up to The Championships, Wimbledon, until the coronavirus pandemic intervened. We are delighted that the grass courts which the team at Bad Homburg had been working so hard to carefully cultivate with the guidance from our Wimbledon groundstaff could be opened”, said Wimbledon-Chairman Ian Hewitt: ”We are delighted that the grass courts which the team at Bad Homburg had been working so hard to carefully cultivate with the guidance from our Wimbledon groundstaff could be opened.”
Even the grass seeds for the three tournament courts at the TC Bad Homburg site and the three practice courts at the Homburg TG site were imported from the island.
Petkovic: “The best gift I could have been given”
Tournament Director Dr. Aljoscha Thron also spoke of a “very emotional and beautiful day for all participants” after the opening event. The enthusiasm for the project is unabated. “The entire team is already working with great enthusiasm to make the fascination of grass court tennis and a hint of Wimbledon come alive at the Kurpark next summer.
Thron also made another encouraging announcement: Apart from the German number one Kerber and the former Wimbledon semi-finalist Julia Görges, Andrea Petkovic will also take part in the Bad Homburg Open next summer.
“When I heard that there will be a WTA tournament in Hessen, I was completely thrilled. To be able to play at home in front of my home crowd at the end of my career is the best gift that could have been given to me,” Petkovic, who comes from Darmstadt, which is about 50 kilometres away, explained. The former world number nine, who has also been convincing as presenter of the ZDF television programme “Sportreportage”, is considered a crowd favourite.
Tickets for the Bad Homburg Open 2021, which will take place from 20 to 26 June and under the motto of “TENNIS IS COMING HOME”, will be available within the next weeks. Tickets can be purchased online in cooperation with our partner Reservix on the tournament website www.badhomburg-open.de or via the hotline (0049 (0) 180 – 60 50 400). Tickets which have already been purchased for the Bad Homburg Open 2020 will remain valid for the tournament next summer.
PREMIERE OF THE BAD HOMBURG OPEN POSTPONED TO 2021
The premiere of the Bad Homburg Open can only be held in the summer of 2021: After joint consultations of the WTA with the affected tournament organisers, it was decided to cancel the entire grass court season due to the continuing Coronavirus pandemic. Also, the owners of the Bad Homburg Open, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), cancelled its 2020 Wimbledon tournament as a consequence of the current situation.
“Of course we were all hugely looking forward to the premiere of the Bad Homburg Open in a few months at the historic Kurpark. However, due to the current situation for now, sports interests completely fade into the background. At the moment, there are other priorities,” said Angelique Kerber, who serves as tournament ambassador of the new grass court event. She intends to look towards the future after the end of the Coronavirus crisis “and then the Bad Homburg Open 2021 will play a huge role for me,” the Wimbledon 2018 champion added.
Mission 2021: With “a lot of vigour and full force” into the future
Irrespective of the cancellation, the three tournament courts at the venue of the TC Bad Homburg or in front of the Kaiser-Wilhelms-Bad, respectively, as well as the three practice courts at the Homburger TG will be completed in the coming months. According to our vision, the planning for 2021 shall begin as soon as possible. We will approach this challenge with “a lot of vigour and at full force,” Tournament Director Dr. Aljoscha Thron emphasized.
Tickets already purchased will remain valid for the Bad Homburg Open in the coming year which will be held from 20 to 26 June 2021. Of course, for anyone who wants to return their ticket already purchased, entrance tickets will be reimbursed. Please find more detailed information on our homepage www.badhomburg-open.de/tickets in the coming days.
Only one week after opening the ticket sales at the beginning of December 2019, tickets for the final on Centre Court initially scheduled for 27 June 2020 were no longer available. At the beginning of March, four out of seven tournament days were sold out. Due to the huge demand, we have started discussions about expanding capacities.
TENNIS IS COMING HOME
The Bad Homburg Open is a newcomer to the WTA 2020 calendar, but the Hessian grass court event, taking place on the grounds of the oldest tennis club on the European mainland, continues a unique tradition. So the tournament motto is as appropriate as it is appealing: “TENNIS IS COMING HOME”.
The first tennis court on the European continent was built in June 1876 in the spa park of the spa town Bad Homburg. A grass court, fittingly! The lines on the specially short-cut lawn were drawn with lime. At that time, the court still had a “waist”, similar to the cross-section of an hourglass. Two rods served as temporary fixings for the net. The men sported chic white suits and shirts with stand-up collars, and the ladies wore laced-up dresses and Florentine hats as they picked up their rackets.
Speaking of which: British spa guests brought rackets and balls along in their luggage. Sir Robert Anstruther organised these first historical games in idyllic Bad Homburg. In one of the very oldest photographs, we see him in 1876, playing a mixed double with two other men and a woman in the Kurpark (spa park). That same year, the TC Bad Homburg was founded as the first tennis club on the continent. In 1877, just one year later, the first Lawn Tennis Championship took place in Wimbledon.
The TC Bad Homburg grounds remained a popular venue for special events. In 1970, for example, the German Davis Cup team around icon Wilhelm Bungert stopped off in the Kurpark and defeated Denmark. World-class sport was also on display in 1973, when Australian tennis legend Evonne Goolagong and her team won the Federation Cup. A total of 28 teams took part.
In light of this tradition, Angelique Kerber & Co. are saying: “TENNIS IS COMING HOME!”
COURT CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN
There’s a lot to do, and the work is already well underway: Construction of the new grass courts for the Bad Homburg Open began in early November, with two excavators coming to remove the old sand cover. Centre Court on the historic grounds of the TC Bad Homburg will be the heart of the future tournament complex – a “stage” in the idyllic Kurpark, where 3,500 spectators can experience exciting duels in summer.
Next to Centre Court, two Match Courts will be built, where 250 fans each will find their place. In addition, there are three high-quality training courts on the grounds of the Homburg gymnastics community. “We are very pleased that the work has begun,” says Bad Homburg’s mayor Alexander Hetjes, “this tournament, and Wimbledon’s offer, is like a gift for our city.”
The close cooperation between the Bad Homburg Open and Wimbledon’s All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) is also seen in the construction and maintenance of the courts: The head groundsman of the world’s most famous tournament, Neil Stubley, will regularly accompany and supervise the work. After removing the sand cover from the Match Courts and applying a new layer of soil, the next step will be seeding the grass.
ANGELIQUE KERBER IS TOURNAMENT AMBASSADOR
On 14 July 2018, she created Germany’s greatest tennis moment of the century – on that day, Angelique Kerber lifted the trophy to the skies on Centre Court at Wimbledon after her memorable final triumph over US star Serena Williams. Wimbledon, lawn, and Angelique Kerber – it’s a very special relationship, which is now heightened at home, in front of German (and international) fans. Because at the Bad Homburg Open, the new WTA International tournament under the patronage of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, the three-time Grand Slam queen is not just a player competing for the trophy.
For this competition in the Kurpark, on grounds steeped in tradition, Angelique Kerber is much more: She is the face of the tournament, the global ambassador for the tournament – and in the future, after the conclusion of her phenomenal career, she will also become the tournament director. The woman who will give the Bad Homburg Open her own personal touch. “With this tournament, a great dream of mine is coming true. And the Bad Homburg Kurpark is the ideal setting for this event,” Angelique Kerber explains, “it’s important to me to already be involved in many decisions and plans.”
And she’s walking her talk: At the first big workshop of the organisers – the agencies Perfect Match and Angelique Kerber Management – the Wimbledon winner sat at the table and actively participated in the creative exchange of ideas. “I’ve been to hundreds of tournaments over the years. I know what makes for a good event and infrastructure, what the players’ wishes are,” says Angelique Kerber. Early in the new season, the 31-year-old also wants to have her first talks with colleagues to win them over for the Bad Homburg premiere. “I’m sure we’ll have a very attractive field,” says the Wimbledon queen.