Djokovic: “We want to establish the tournament in Athens for many years”

The ambition tennis tournament (ATP 250) which will take place November 1-8 at the Telekom Center Athens to become an institution, the Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni, the director of the tournament, George Djokovic, and the president of the Hellenic Tennis Federation, Theodoros Glavas, expressed at the press conference ahead of the big event.

“The Ministry of Tourism supports initiatives that promote sports tourism and offer new opportunities to get to know Greek destinations” emphasized Ms. Kefalogiannis, also underlining that the hosting of such an important sporting event has multiple values, as it strengthens the international image of Greece as a destination of experiences, quality and hospitality. At the same time, as he pointed out, it contributes to the diversification and enrichment of the Greek tourist product, strengthening sports tourism as a pillar of sustainable development, with the aim of extending the tourist season and highlighting new destinations throughout the country.

In addition, the Minister of Tourism emphasized that the development of sports tourism is a strategic priority of the Ministry, as it has enormous development potential, creates new jobs and strengthens the local economy, both in urban centers and in the periphery. “The Hellenic Championship ATP 250 has a special place in our effort for quality and sustainable development of tourism in our country. I am sure that the tournament will be a unique experience for all participants and visitors, and another step towards establishing Greece as a destination for top level sports eventsconcluded Ms. Kefalogiannis.

George Djokovic, in turn, pointed out that the goal is to keep the event in Athens for many years, adding that there are also contacts for the organization of a corresponding WTA tournament next year. Regarding the participation of his famous brother, Novak Djokovic, he appeared modestly optimistic, saying that he is doing everything necessary to be able to compete.

“We do not treat this tournament as a single event, we want to establish it for many years in Athens, as it is a market that has had to be approached for 30 years. The only way to achieve this is to deliver a successful and high-level event, so that the ATP is satisfied with our cooperation and, hopefully already in November, after the end of the tournament, we can negotiate the extension of the license for many more yearssaid George Djokovic.

On the prospect of a women’s tournament in Athens, the director of the Hellenic Championship ATP 250 revealed that “… we have been in contact and discussions for three months. There will be no event this year, but there are negotiations for next year. It would be very important if a tennis player like Maria Sakkari became the brand name in a WTA event, so that she could play in front of the Greek public, as Stefanos Tsitsipas will do in a few days».

Regarding Novak Djokovic’s condition and his chances of participating in the Athens tournament, his brother said: “Novak is on the mend. He is a mastermind when it comes to fitness. He does everything he can about it and gives everything he can to take part and play in front of the Greek audience».

George Djokovic also declared that he was very satisfied with the level of the players who have declared participation, but also with the response of the Greek public: “We are very pleased. Since the ticket pre-sale started 6-7 days ago, the public response has been impressive. This means that the tournament will have a great atmosphere, which is very important to us. The venue is large, with a capacity of up to 17,500 spectators. It is very important that we use the maximum capacity and fill the stands as the event will be televised in more than 130 countries around the world».