MUNICH, May 1, 2016
Peter Bosch, president of Munich’s prestigious tennis club Iphitos, even got surnburnt on Saturday. Who would have thought this during the opening days of the BMW Open by FWU AG 2016, when players and spectators had to battle wind, cold, rain as well as even snow. During the qualification as well as on Monday and Tuesday, the ATP 250 event could be easily considered as the “toughest clay court tournament in the world”.
“I think the last time that players competed with long pants on centre court here was in the 1920s. Back then, it was a matter of good taste,” Bosch told with a smile during the tournament’s final news conference on Sunday morning.
35,000 spectators came to Munich’s venue this week and despite the weather, the atmosphere was great.
“I am really pleased with this week. You could feel that all people, who participated in this tournament, were in best mood,” he added.
Final news conference of the BMW Open with Peter Bosch (MTTC Iphitos), Peter van Binsbergen (BMW), Manfred Dirrheimer (FWU AG) and Patrik Kühnen
“From the moment on when I saw the entry list, I have been happy,” said tournament director Patrik Kühnen. “We had so many different types of players here this week and with Alexander Zverev, we could watch the tours’s maybe most promising player in the future.”
“Thiem is a potential top 10-player, maybe cracking into this year already and Philipp considers Munich’s centre court as his living room anyway. Of all ATP 250 events held this season so far, we have had the best cut-off with 81,” told Kühnen and added that he extended his contract as tournament director until 2018.
The financial supporters will also continue to back the event in the future. Presenting sponsor FWU AG announced to stay involved with the tournament until 2020. BMW also implied to extend its contract.
The engine manufacturing company headquartered in Munich will celebrate its 30 years partnership with the tournament next year. “We will come up with something special,” revealed Peter van Binsbergen, Head of Sales for BMW in Germany.
Atlanticlux, a company part of the FWU Group, which signed Fabio Fognini, Gael Monfils and Roberto Bautista-Agut, extended their contracts with the players for another two years. Consequently, a return of those three guys in 2017 is very likely.
