Stuttgart Has A Successful Event

Written by: Staff on 29th April 2013

Stuttgart Has A Successful Event

epa03680211 Russia's Maria Scharapova celebrates after winning the final match against China's Li Na at the WTA Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany, 28 April 2013. EPA/BERND WEISSBROD |

The 36th Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart celebrated another successful week. The players named it their favorite event for the fifth time, and the tournament and sponsors were also pleased.

Porsche AG executive Christian Dau said they had sellouts on four days and attendance increased from 40,950 to 42,212. “The tournament will continue to develop in the future but we’ll do everything to retain the family character,” he said. “We will continue to present top international tennis in the Porsche Arena in an environment in which the spectators feel as much as at home as the stars do.”

Tournament director Markus Günthardt said they were able to expand the media presence of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, producing TV feeds off of 30 matches on Centre Court and 11 from Court 1. A total of 40 TV outlets from all over the world took feeds. Li Na’s first match was shown live in Chinese television, and Samantha Stosur’s could be seen in Australia. The tournament’s Facebook page went up from 50,000 fans to about 72,000

“I’m pleased that we’ve successfully managed the change from Eurosport to the SWR channel and with it the return to public broadcasting Günthardt said. “As for the future, I would like to see a few more live matches and the televising of the semifinals and final on the national ARD channel. One thing is for certain we will keep to our trusted motto, ‘Quality and not quantity.’”

Former top 5 player Anke Huber, who is the tournament’s Operating Director, noted that having a rematch of the Australian Open semifinal in Stuttgart’s final between champion Maria Sharapova and Li Na was a big positive.

“Seven Germans were in the main draw and two reached the quarterfinals. Angelique Kerber even got to the semifinals,” she said. “All the players spoke very positively about the atmosphere and the audience here in the Porsche Arena. They just love coming here.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Angelique Kerber, Christian Dau, German tennis news, Li Na, Maria Sharapova, Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Samantha Stosur, Stuttgart tennis news