The boycott of Chinese tournaments by the WTA (Editor’s note: following the Peng Shuai affair) has shaken up the calendar. It took some time to get this new date. The periods of play on clay are relatively periodic. We don’t play it in winter or fall. We received the conformation in a firm and definitive way three years ago…
The boycott of Chinese tournaments by the WTA (Editor’s note: following the Peng Shuai affair) has shaken up the calendar. It took some time to get this new date. The periods of play on clay are relatively periodic. We don’t play it in winter or fall. We received the conformation in a firm and definitive way three weeks ago.
The tournament took place at the same time as the Biarritz Cup. We were a little competitive
Do you hope to maintain the Engie Open in June in future years?
Indeed. Already, in terms of corporate customers, people are not on vacation. Local businesses will therefore be able to invite their customers more easily to attend the matches and to come and have lunch in the dedicated areas. In addition, there were a number of elements that conflicted with the previous dates in July. The tournament took place at the same time as the Biarritz Cup (Editor’s note: golf competition). Between the spectators, the practitioners, the amateurs, we found ourselves on a common target. We were a little competitive. And then we must not forget that the Bayonne Festival will, a priori, also be back. In logistical terms, it was not easy to ensure all these elements at the same time for the town hall, which is already very committed. Like the Biarritz Olympique, it supports us in a promotional way. The services of the City are also made available for the maintenance of the courts. On clay, it is essential. The quality of the pitches is really excellent. This is good news because the players are really paying attention to it.
Will setting up the competition the day after Roland-Garros help you more easily find players with an “earthling” profile?
I think. This is one of the reasons why we are not unhappy to have won this date. The fact that Roland-Garros is the fortnight before the Engie Open should allow us to attract clay court specialists. We hope to welcome two players between the fiftieth and the hundredth place in the world. Maybe even higher ranked girls. We are still in a sport that is practiced by nearly 20 million people and we always have, among our seeded players, a player who is around the top 100. You have to realize what we are talking about. Sometimes we want the top, but we still stay in the second division of tennis. This new date should allow us to consider the work to be done with the players, to see – once they have received their calendar – how they will manage their timing. We should be able to accommodate players who prefer to continue on clay rather than immediately going to grass or hard (Editor’s note: in view of Wimbledon or the US Open). We also have a chance of attracting better level players and also of having more French players than last year (Editor’s note: five in the French top 10). I hope we will have a little more.
