Chris Kermode New ATP Chief

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 23rd November 2013

Chris Kermode New ATP Chief

epa03942760 Roger Federer from Switzerland celebrates winning two sets to one against Juan Martin del Potro from Argentina during their group B singles match in the round robin stage at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in the O2 Arena in London, Britain, 09 November 2013. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA |

At the start of next year the ATP World Tour’s new executive chairman Chris Kermode will take residence in an office once occupied by the man he coached at tennis, Etienne de Villiers.

Kermode first came to the notice of de Villiers, a former Disney executive and the top man in the ATP hierarchy from September 2005 to December 2008, when he coached him at the Vanderbilt club in London. A former tennis pro, Kermode attained a career high ranking of 742 in February 1986 and amassed the grand total of $447 in prize money.

However de Villiers recognized Kermode’s organizational talents and gave him a significant role at the ATP as managing director of the Barclays World Tour Finals when the London 02 Arena was announced as a successor to Shanghai during the course of 2008.

A year previously Kermode became a well-liked and forward-thinking tournament director of the AEGON Championships at Queen’s Club, succeeding the man he assisted for several years Ian Wight.

“I saw him as a guy of enormous potential who really came into his own at Queen’s and I had no hesitation in appointing him to mastermind the O2 finals,” De Villiers said on hearing of Kermode’s appointment by the ATP board of directors.

“He is obviously loved by the players, respected by the tournaments and understands both sides, which is going to be essential to succeed in the role.”

Earlier this year de Villiers also recommended Kermode to the head-hunters employed by Britain’s Lawn Tennis Association to find a replacement for Roger Draper. Bizarrely Kermode was not even afforded an interview and de Villiers said: “I found that totally shocking.”

Kermode, the first European to head the ATP, intends to spend the next five weeks deciding if any changes are needed to the operational hierarchy that has managed to run the ATP World Tour for nearly all of this year following the announcement in January of Brad Drewett’s illness.

Ponte Vedra-based Mark Young, (the current CEO ATP Americas and Chief Legal and Media Officer) who was favorite to get the post around the time of Wimbledon but was unable to engender sufficient support on the board, is expected to be given added responsibilities.

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