Forget Is A Proud Tournament Director

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 3rd November 2013

Forget Is A Proud Tournament Director

Guy Forget (L), captain of the French Davis Cup team, observes his players during a training session in Lausanne, Switzerland, Wednesday 07 April 2004. France's Davis Cup 2nd round against Switzerland will start on April 9. EPA/OLIVIER MAIRE |

Tournament director Guy Forget could not have been more pleased with the outcome of this year’s Paris Masters, where all of the quarter-finalists also qualifiers into this week’s World Tour Finals in London. “We didn’t need to go to London, because all the players were here on Friday. So this was a treat for us,” he said.

The one-time player and French Davis Cup captain and winner of the title here 22 year- ago said that attendance held up after a record was set at last year’s edition. “We have the same number (of spectators) as last year. Last year we had broken all the records. Thursday was a holiday, a bank holiday, so we had more spectators. For Sunday we were sold out for a long time. For the first days of the week, we had an increase compared to last year.”

“Forget was also pleased with attendance from the ATP elite, with every top player but recovering Andy Murray in the field. “This is really incredible,” said the TD,

And things could get even better in 2014, when an ill-conceived two-year experiment of starting the season-ending event directly after the Paris final will be abandoned. Not only was a valuable week of tennis marketing for the London market wasted but players felt rushed and Paris was often the first event to suffer as a result of pullouts and injuries.

“Next year there will be a week between this tournament and the ATP final in London. This means that the players who might be tired will be able to play this tournament at 100 per cent, knowing they will have a whole week to prepare for London after that.”

The 2014 edition in Paris will also be special with the Bercy arena undergoing a massive restructuring which will be interrupted for a week next November to let the tennis take place – hopefully not amid reconstruction rubble. “The work will start at beginning of January next year, and of course in 2015 the stadium will be the most modern stadium in Europe,” said Forget. “Next year there will still be some works. I’m sure that everyone will all be welcomed in bigger settings, and a more comfortable premises.”

Topics: 10sballs, Andy Murray, Atp, Davis Cup, Guy Forget, Paris Masters, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News