Shanghai, Dubai and Queen’s Named ATP Tournaments Of the Year

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 26th February 2014

Shanghai, Dubai and Queen’s Named ATP Tournaments Of the Year

epa03744495 Tomas Berdych (C-R) of the Czech Republic serves the ball to Marin Cilic (back L) of Croatia during their quarter final match of the Aegon Tennis Championships at the Queen's Club in London, Britain, 14 June 2013. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

The ATP has announced the Tournaments of the Year in the 2013 ATP World Tour Awards presented by Moët & Chandon, with repeat winners the Shanghai and Dubai joined by newcomer Queen’s as the most favored ATP World Tour events in their respective tournament categories.

The Tournament of the Year awards, voted annually by ATP players, recognize the leading standards set across the three tournament categories on the Tour. Shanghai, Dubai and The Queen’s Club in London win respectively at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000, 500 and 250 levels.

Shanghai claims the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 category for a fifth straight year, since the tournament’s first edition at the level in 2009.

“It is with boundless gratitude that I thank the ATP players, our title sponsor Rolex and the amazing JUSS team on winning for the fifth consecutive year the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Tournament of the Year honor,” said Jiang Lan, CEO of Shanghai Juss Event Management Co., Ltd. “We must share the recognition with the city of Shanghai for enabling us to host the greatest tennis players in the world, in one of the greatest cities in the world. We are truly thrilled to win the award five years running!”

Roger Federer, who was at the Qi Zhong stadium opening in 2005, said: “I love coming here to Shanghai. I opened the Qi Zhong tennis stadium years back. You can really see the beauty of this centre court and of this site. The players really enjoy coming here.”

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, which this week welcomes five Top 10 players including five-time champion Federer and four-time titlist Novak Djokovic, collects the award for the 10th time in 11 years.

“As the tournament organizers, it is a great honor to once again receive the award for Best Tournament in the ATP 500 category for the 10th time,” said Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free. “We have always tried to ensure that the players have a fantastic experience when they come to Dubai and that we create a very relaxed and friendly environment. Also over the years we have greatly enhanced the facilities, including the opening of our own five-star hotel on-site, the Jumeirah Creekside, which has been very well received by the players.

“Our thanks to the ATP and the players for once again recognizing the efforts that we have made to ensure that the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is top of their list year after year.”

Djokovic, the defending champion, said: “It’s been voted for six times in a row as the best 500 tournament, and it’s definitely one of the best organized tournaments in the world. They make sure that all the players feel like they’re at home. They have great facilities, and now with the new hotel it has become even more convenient for the players to be close to the courts. For a player to be part of such a great event is always an honor.”

Queen’s ends the longest reign in the ATP World Tour Awards – Bastad’s 11-year run at the ATP World Tour 250-level – as it receives the honor for the first time. In 2015, the tournament will be re-categorized to the ATP World Tour 500 level as part of a longer three-week grass-court swing between Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

“We are delighted to receive this award which recognizes the fabulous jobs that our Aegon Championships team, The Queen’s Club and our long-time Tournament Director and now the ATP’s Executive Chairman and President, Chris Kermode, have done over the years, and the contribution made by our commercial partners, particularly Aegon,” said Michael Downey, Chief Executive, Lawn Tennis Association. “We are now building towards making the 2014 event a success, with our sights also set firmly on 2015, when the tournament will attain ATP-500 status for the first time, at the heart of an expanded grass court season.”

Topics: 10sballs, AEGON Championships, Atp World Tour, Chris Kermode, Dubai, Lta, Novak Djokovic, Queen's Club, Roger Federer, Roland Garros, Shanghai, Sports, Tennis, Tournament of the Year, Wimbledon

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10sBalls_com says:

February 26, 2014 at 8:36 am

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