体坛英语资讯：Rotterdam ATP director frustrated with Djokovics pullout_娱乐

体坛英语资讯：Rotterdam ATP director frustrated with Djokovics pullout

Krajicek is positive about the future of the ATP World Tour 500 event. "We have the 500 status for the third time this year and we will at least maintain it for two more years, that's part of the contract. At the end of this year lots of tournaments will be evaluated so we will have to wait and see. We are very happy with some very good fields at our 500. And very few pullouts, even though Djokovic is a very high profile pullout. The schedule is good and Djokovic did not know of course when he said yes to the tournament that he would win the Australian Open, have a little injury and maybe get an injury so he could not play. So in general that has been very good for us. You need money and sponsors. We just signed for three more years after this tournament with our sponsor ABN Amro. So that part is very secure for us and also the part from the ATP site to keep the status looks very good. At least for the next two years it is looking good."

WTA tournament For a possible combined ATP and WTA women's tournament in Rotterdam in the future Krajicek foresees some obstacles. "I would like that, it would be great, but there are a few problems or challenges I would rather say," he declared.

"A very simple one was that in a radius of 150 kilometers of a WTA event you are not allowed to organize a WTA event in the week prior during or after that event. It is not the case anymore, but until recently there was a tournament in Antwerp and it was the week after our event. We are less than 150 kilometers from Antwerp so we were never allowed to organize a WTA event. We could not organize it, but now that one challenge is gone. Apart from that this is a 500 event and if you look at the four Grand Slam's, the eight Masters Series 1000 events and than the 500 events, we are a top 15 event in the world. We are one of the top 500's. So you want a very good women's event too."