Markus Gnthardt and Anke Huber were successful leaders of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix tournament

Anke, Markus, first pass in 46^th The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix will be broadcast in five weeks. What in particular can visitors expect?

Anke Huber: “Tennis of the highest class, as always at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Starting with Iga Swiatek, the title holder and world number one, numerous top stars will be performing at the Porsche Arena again this year. Fans can expect extra excitement and thrills as Aryna Sabalenka, last year’s runner-up and reigning Australian Open champion, returns to Stuttgart.

Markus Günthardt: “And we also have other Top 10 players here, such as Caroline Garcia, who won the 2022 WTA Finals, and Coco Gauff. The 18-year-old American is one of the young and successful players who represent the future of women’s tennis. We are also happy that that Emma Raducanu will return to compete at the Porsche Arena. As a Porsche Brand Ambassador, the 2021 US Open champion basically has a home game. Since the entry period is at the end of March, we estimate that other Top 10 players will add their names to the list.

How do you manage to get practically the entire Top 10 to perform in Stuttgart year after year?

Anke Huber: “We look forward to every player who comes to us, whether he is number 1 or 50. I have built a good personal contact with most of them over the years. I don’t need to convince the players who have already been here about the quality of the tournament. They know exactly what they can do waiting. They know their way around and whenever they need something, they know who to turn to. For them, it’s like coming home. They keep telling us how good they are here. For us, that’s the best compliment.”

Markus Günthardt: – A look at the list of stars who have confirmed their participation is proof to me that the overall package we offer the players is on point. We’re not one of the really big tournaments, we don’t have the biggest prize money and we don’t have the most world ranking points, but nevertheless the best players in the world come to us. It’s a fantastic statement that tells us they love being here.

Maybe it’s also because they can win a great sports car in Stuttgart as the grand prize?

Markus Günthardt: “Absolutely. The winner’s car has been part of the tournament’s tradition and DNA ever since the first Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in 1978. This year, the fully electric Porsche Taycan Turbo S Sport Turismo awaits the winner. Not all top players would have a problem buying a Porsche themselves, but that’s not the point. The thing that makes a winning car so desirable is that they can reward themselves for an exceptional performance throughout the week and win the final. There can be no better motivation.”

The main draw of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix is ​​traditionally at Grand Slam level. What is the secret of your success?

Markus Günthardt: “Simply put, we offer the players the conditions in which they can perform at their best. It starts with the excellent training facilities they find here and ends with a full arena with a great atmosphere. I have to give the Stuttgart crowd a big compliment because the atmosphere in the Porsche Arena is fantastic, whether you have a qualifier or a Top 10 player on the field. The players really appreciate that.”

Anke Huber: “Feeling good also plays a big role. The players stay in a hotel right next to the arena and can walk to practices and matches. It’s so nice to see them feel at home here and to see them keep coming back. For many players, Stuttgart is important when planning the season. It gives us a certain amount of pride. And we try to anticipate every wish of the players.

By handing out wildcards, you also give German youngsters the chance to face the best in the world. Is it important to you now?

Anke Huber: “It’s always nice that there are so many top stars here. But as a German tournament, we also have a responsibility towards the German juniors. It is a responsibility we are very happy to meet. In order to reach the top, talented youngsters also have to play big tournaments. By giving them qualifying wildcards or even major leaguers, we give them the opportunity to gain important experience for their later careers against the best players in the world. All decisions are made together with national coach Barbara Rittner and the German Tennis Association.

What experiences have you had with this method of raising talented young people?

Anke Huber: “In recent years, our young players have always done quite well at the Porsche Arena and they have seized their opportunities. Last year, Eva Lys and Nastasja Schunk both got a wild card in the qualifiers and then played their way to the main match. It was an impressive performance as the qualifiers are always very strong here as well. Then Eva even won the first round against a Top 40 player. So we continue on the same path and offer young German players a platform where they can present themselves in the future as well.

The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix traditionally offers its visitors an attractive program of side events off the court. Anything new this year?

Markus Günthardt: “This year’s novelty is the Racket Sports World tournament in the public village. On all nine event days, visitors to the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle are offered a wide range of interesting activities focusing on tennis, padel, table tennis, badminton and touch tennis. People who buy a ticket to the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix also have free entry to Racket Sports World. For the first time, however, there are also separate tickets to the public village, which has all the exciting activities.

How important are such side events to the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix?

Markus Günthardt: “They are very important from my point of view, because we would like our spectators to spend the whole day in the arena. However, we cannot expect them to sit and watch tennis for 10 hours in the stands. That’s why we have to create the conditions with attractive actions where they are completely satisfied to spend such a long time in the arena. And another important point is that we want to serve especially families, and they don’t always have the same interests. By offering a wide range of colorful activities, we hope there is something for everyone. The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix should continue to be an event for the whole family.

Ticket sales

Tickets 46^th Porsche Tennis Grand Prix at Porsche Arena 15.-23.4. are available at Easy Ticket Service – on the Internet at www.easyticket.de or by calling +49 711 / 2 55 55 55. More information about the tournament can be found at www.porsche-tennis.com.