Google News ATP Stuttgart director: 'Federer and Nadal in 2018? It's a budget question'
by LUIGI GATTO | VIEW 23314
Appearance fees to top players in the ATP 250 and 500 tournaments are not a secret anymore, despite obviously the amount of money not being revealed. The Swiss player played in Brisbane three years ago for an appearance fee of $800,000, while sometimes Nadal can be "pleased" also if you offer €500,000 ($570,000), which happened two years ago at the Hamburg Open.
Interviewed by Tennis Portalen, the ATP 250 Stuttgart tournament director Edwin Weindorfer spoke about future goals of the tournament that is improving year after year. The key was to switch it from clay to grass in 2015, when grass-court season was extended for one more week.
Federer played this event in 2015 and 2016, which was a great thing for the tournament. Asked how they managed to do it, Weindorfer replied: 'We did it because of three reasons. Number one: because of the grass court. He wants to prepare for Wimbledon, unfortunately this year it was not great that he lost in the first round, that’s just the way it is.
The second thing is Mercedes Benz, not only our title sponsor but they are also one of the big sponsors of Roger Federer. The third thing is that he likes this club, he knows it very well. He always expressed interest to play here and he is very close to Switzerland and his home.
These are the factors that made it happen.' Weindorfer also said they will try to bring 7-8 top-20 players in 2018, and added: 'My goal is to get Roger and Rafa, because they both want to play here! It’s a question of budget, if we can make it happen to have Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer here at the same time.
Roger because he didn’t play well yet here and Rafa because he already won here three times.' ALSO READ: Kate Middleton: 'Roger Federer is my mother's heartthrob'
