Ross Hutchins Wears 2 Hats, Looks Good To Have Andy Murray, Now Needs Rafa and Novak

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 6th March 2014

Ross Hutchins Wears 2 Hats, Looks Good To Have Andy Murray, Now Needs Rafa and Novak |

A day after Ross Hutchins was officially named the new tournament director of the Aegon Championships and he is already splitting his time between trying to re-establish himself as one of the ATP World Tour’s successful doubles players and trying to improve the London tournament, maintaining his initial aim is to lure both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic back to the Queen’s Club grass.

Nadal and Djokovic were regulars at the London event in the past but the Spaniard last played in 2011, opting instead to sign a contract to play the rival Gerry Weber Open in Germany’s Hall while Djokovic has now gone three years without playing what was once the unique curtain raiser to Wimbledon for the top male players.

Next year the grass-court season is being extended, with three weeks between the French Open and Wimbledon, with both Queen’s and Halle, being promoted from 250 to 500 events on the ATP World Tour. Hutchins sees it as a big opportunity to grow the tournament, and he said: “We’d love to attract all the top players.

“I know people talk highly of Halle but I just know what we have in London is special. We have such a huge tradition of grass-court tennis in the United Kingdom. I’ll see the players every day pretty much so I’ll be in a good position to really try to make them come to the UK to play this great event.”

Hutchins is well aware his new appointment means he won’t be able to play the Queen’s Club event and he talked over the situation with his regular doubles partner Colin Fleming who is more than prepared to look for a temporary agreement just for one week.

Fleming is one of Hutchins’ two best friends, along with Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and the pair are both supportive of the 29 year-old’s new venture. “Colin’s been great all along,” said Hutchins who only returned to the ATP World Tour at the beginning of this year after taking 12 months off to battle Hodgkins Lymphoma. “He’s known about it since I started the interview process.

“I spoke to Andy about it recently and he’s been very positive and is looking forward to playing the event. We’ve been through a lot of things together over the years and nothing changes in the dynamics between us.”

Hutchins is regarded by his peers on the playing circuit as one of the ATP World Tour’s most decent people and he’s perfectly aware tournament directors have to employ the hard edge of a businessman with no time for favorites or compassion. “What I believe is right will have to go,” he said. “You’re not just able to think about one player, their agent or coach, you need to look at the whole picture.

“But I believe I can do this job. I’m very experienced in the ways of the tennis world, I’ve been at this stage for seven years, I understand what it takes to run a good tournament, what makes players comfortable.

“I’ve been desperate to be involved and trying to get this role. When Stephen Farrow (the Aegon Championships’ managing director) asked me in January if I’d be interested, it was already in my mind, and we progressed from there. It’s not something you need to get yourself up for or question whether you want to do it.”

Fleming and Hutchins intend to play a full schedule right up to the Aegon Championships that begin on June 9, and that includes the French Open. At the ongoing BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells the British pair have been drawn against Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands and Romania’s Horia Tecau.

Topics: 10sballs, AEGON Championships, Andy Murray, Atp World Tour, BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, Novak Djokovic, Queen's Club, Rafael Nadal, Ross Hutchins, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News

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10sBalls_com says:

March 6, 2014 at 8:15 am

Ross Hutchins Wears 2 Hats, Looks Good To Have Andy Murray, Now Needs Rafa and Novak- http://t.co/2oRtT1ndWr @RafaelNadal @andy_murray