ATP Challenger Tour: Heilbronn and Braunschweig awarded
After the announcement of this year's ATP Awards, there was reason to celebrate in Germany as well. With the Sparkassen Open in Braunschweig and the Neckarcup in Heilbronn, two German events were recognized as the best worldwide out of a total of 158 tournaments on the ATP Challenger Tour.
by Florian Heer
last edit:
Dec 21, 2019, 10:38 am
While the Sparkassen Open with its mixture of tennis and entertainment has been inspiring audiences and players since 1994 and has been awarded this honor for the fifth time in the past six years, the triple has been achieved in Heilbronn.
Triple success for the Neckarcup
For the third time in a row, the Neckarcup was voted the world's best ATP Challenger Tour tournament. It was only in May of this year that tournament director and initiator Metehan Cebeci, as well as the organizers, Mine Cebeci and Tom Bucher, were presented with the award for 2018 on the Center Court as part of the sixth Neckarcup.
Now the three have done it again and mastered the innovations, such as rule changes and the larger draw as well as the resulting higher effort in hotel, catering and transport with flying colors. In 2019 the Neckarcup was once again the favorite tournament for tennis players and officials.
Best Christmas Gift Award
"I'm just happy - happy that we managed to achieve this highest award for the third time in a row," says Mine Cebeci, who takes care of the organization as well as the supporting program. “We know that we do our work passionately and with attention to detail, and we are very meticulous and very well organized. But this renewed award also shows that we make them to everyone's satisfaction. It shows that we have not rested on the laurels of the past two years, but that we have made an even greater effort to be even better. It is very nice to see that our work is appropriately recognized and thus reinforces us on our way! For the third time "BEST CHALLENGER OF THE YEAR" - this is the best Christmas present for the three of us and the entire Neckarcup team. "
Tournament director Metehan Cebeci also admits with joy and satisfaction: “Receiving this prize three years in a row is the greatest recognition of our outstanding and meticulous work. I repeat myself, but we are very proud to receive this award again, to be recognized by the young, up-and-coming players as well as by the ATP for our efforts and to be rewarded for our work! ”
New editions in 2020
The seventh edition of the clay court tournament will take place from May 11 to May 17, 2020. 12,250 euros in prize money and 100 ATP ranking list points await the champion individually. With Alexander Zverev, Nikoloz Basilashvili and Filip Krajinovic, some well-known names have already entered the list of winners.
The title of the Sparkassen Open will be in Braunschweig again next year when the international tennis cracks pick up the racket from July 2nd to 11th.
In addition to the two local events, the Puerto Vallarta Open in Mexico and the Pekao Szczecin Open were also honored in this category.