02/18/2024 16:23hs.
“This year I see the tournament as being an ATP 500. The court is very good, the organization is very good. It’s wonderful. If this tournament becomes a 500 I wouldn’t be surprised at all.” The phrase was signed Carlos Alcaraz (2°) the day he attended to the media. It was just 48 hours after having set foot at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club for the first time, a period that was enough for him to notice the differences that the Argentina Open promoted for the current edition.
Improving the experience of general spectators and those who have hospitality services, and, especially, supporting everything that enriches the tennis players’ passage through the tournament were the main objectives that the organizers set for 2024. And although The ATP did not recognize them with a recategorization (from 250 to 500), they are satisfied with the process they carried out. “We have created a premium product and we are going to continue improving,” he told him – in a one-on-one discussion. Kristoff PuelinckxCEO of Tennium, a Ole.
Carlos Alcaraz lost in the semis but conquered the people. Photos Emmanuel Fernandez
-They have been established in the tournament for seven years and, in parallel, the company does not stop growing, given that it is in charge of the ATP 250 in Antwerp and the organization of the ATP 500 in Hamburg and Conde de Godó, of the Davis Cup, of the Billie Jean King Cup and the Hopman Cup. At what point are they?
-We are at the highest level. In the end we started this eight years ago, buying some licenses, among others the one here, and from there we have expanded the business by managing tournaments of other owners, such as in Barcelona and Hamburg with the 500. In addition, we have a very extensive relationship with the ITF, with whom we do the Billie Jean King Cup and the Davis Cup, of which we are in charge of the group stage in September and the Finals in Malaga. For now, the priority was in Europe and South America, with obviously a very strong core here in Argentina. But this will continue to grow, because there is good financing and capitalization of the company and we also have the resources to expand throughout the world: we are looking at new markets, such as the Middle East and the United States.
-In Argentina they entered a tournament with a lot of history (NdeR: this year there were 24 uninterrupted editions), but in which they have opted for the path of innovation…
-We bought a tournament with a lot of history that was very well done and had a fantastic team led by Martín Jaite. That is why we kept the entire team and grew together. We integrated and now they are part of Tennium. I am very happy with what we have achieved and with the changes that can be seen. Our challenge was to seek a leap in quality in all areas. The vision for the future is to continue improving and creating this top product for the spectator who comes to the Fan Zone, for the companies and sponsors who go to Hospitality. Our goal is to design an experience that makes people say ‘wow, Argentina Open week is coming and you have to be in Buenos Aires, you have to go to the tournament, because it is the best event of the year’. I think it is being achieved and we took a very important step forward again: we expanded the stadium (NdeR: a tubular grandstand was added), the Fan Zone and the Hospitality area, we improved everything related to catering. Everything is leveling up.
The Argentina Open food court was completely renovated. Photos Emmanuel Fernandez
-The players, every time they had the opportunity, were grateful this week for all the changes that were made.
-We also made a very important investment in the stadium, the cabins and the players’ area. Because not only do we continue to invest a lot in bringing in the top players (NdeR: according to La Nación, Alcaraz would have received about 900 thousand euros to come), but we are also very happy with the first-class service we give them.
Although the organization of the tournament with Martin Hughes, head of the company in Latin America, at the head, dreamed of achieving the category upgrade (from ATP 250 to 500) by 2025, the ATP denied the possibility and granted the place to Dallas, Doha and Munich. The Argentina Open had already made an offer to the ATP 250 in Newport to buy its tournament and, in this way, obtain what is necessary to make the leap in quality. However, it was not enough, since Qatari dollars appeared and ended the illusion.
Kristoff Puelinckx is director of the Buenos Aires ATP. (European Open Archive)
“Unfortunately it happened that way, but in the future you never know. The important thing for us is to do a good job and the ATP recognizes that. We will be ready if the opportunity arises. One looks at the Rio de Janeiro tournament, which is a 500, and it is the same draw as ours. The objective is to ensure we are at the level, create the experience and maintain the quality of the product,” said the Belgian businessman.
He also added: “It makes us proud that players like Alcaraz decide to return, because they feel totally comfortable. Obviously they have a cachet, but I could choose another contest. The financial part, without a doubt, is very important, but the service to the player is vital. What we offer here, added to the Buenos Aires public that is so special for the affection they show to the players, makes them remember the tournament. The people who are with Carlos tell us that he likes coming to Buenos Aires, that he enjoys the warmth of the fans. Hopefully he can come back next year.”
-And all in a country with a change of government that modified the country’s economic policy by 180°. Did it affect you that after several years the support of the national state does not appear?
-We are aware that the economic situation is difficult. However, we are here for the long term. If a year is bad we have to understand it. In fact, the adjustments that are being made were still necessary and that is why we do not demand anything. Yes, it is important that in the future there is support for an event like this with international exposure. For us it is important that the country gets well, that the economy is fixed and the currency is stabilized.
Karina Milei was watching the semifinals of the tournament. Photos Emmanuel Fernandez
-What differences do you notice as a company in relation to the organization of other events that you have in your portfolio such as Antwerp, Hamburg or Barcelona?
-Clearly here it is more difficult to plan. You hold a tournament in Antwerp and you have defined prices 10 months in advance, while here you don’t know what they are going to charge you or in what currency until a week or 10 days before. But our team has a lot of experience in the subject, it is already used to working in these circumstances.
-Tennium is not only a company that organizes tournaments, but also has player representation (more than 40 currently). The majority tend to be promising young people who are caught before they make their first big leap. And one of them is Facundo Díaz Acosta, who will compete in the final of the Argentina Open. How are they doing in that regard?
-Our plan is to continue betting on young people. We have been working with Facu for many years and we are very proud of what he achieved. Maybe he has been a little slower in the first few years, but he has always been consistent: he has already gotten into the top100, he is on his way to the top50 and he is doing super well. I think that in Argentina there is a lot of talent (NdeR: They also have Solana Sierra) and many opportunities to continue doing things with them in the future.
As he was able to find out OleDuring the week of the Argentina Open, the company’s executives were negotiating with other Argentine tennis players so that they could begin to be represented by Tennium.
Improving Davis Cup amid Saudi Arabia’s onslaught
The organization of the Davis Cup appears in Tennium’s portfolio, where they took the baton that Gerard Piqué and the Kosmos Group left behind. In that sense, Puelinckx puffed out his chest and was proud of the product they are offering, despite criticism from purists of the oldest team competition in the world of rackets (it started in 1900) who miss the old format.
In the last Davis Cup, Italy won. EFE/ Jorge Zapata
“I think they are unfair. The previous format did not work and the top players did not play it. In Malaga last year Carlitos and Rafa were not there, because they did not qualify, and the stadium was very full: a lot of interest was generated, Djokovic and Sinner came and “The event worked, because it had an international impact. Only one day were there free tickets and some tickets were given away,” he said.
Now, in response to the rumor of Saudi entry into the organization of ATP tournaments, he said: “I have good relations with Saudi Arabia and I think it would be positive for the sport, because it is an economic power. They will already join the tour as sponsors, there is a lot of money and that’s why we work to find those opportunities.
2024-02-18 19:23:55
#future #Argentina #Open #long #haul #Olé
