Director of the Rio Open presented by Claro, Lui Carvalho celebrated another successful edition of the biggest ATP tournament in South America.
“I'm really glad the outcome of this 11th edition, coming into our second decade of existence we couldn’t have hoped for more. We were should out minutes after releasing the tickets for sale and then came the ‘huricane' João Fonseca, what made people want to stay even more time at the venue and consume more the ‘Rio Open product’. I’m feeling really positive and hopeful for the next edition”, said Carvalho.
According to him, one of the biggest differentials that the Rio Open can offer the players is the warmth of Brazilian people. “The players feel really comfortable here and our crowd always brings an amazing atmosphere. They like to support the underdog and they can always change a match.”
Carvalho also said that the possibility of changing the tournament from clay to hard courts is something that is being considered. “I have no doubt that this would attract a bigger number of players. With the calendar we have now it’s not easy for them to play in Australia on hard court, then come here to play on clay and then move to North America for hard courts again”, he said.
“I don’t believe that the South-American tennis would loose anything if we changed to hard. We have many very good hard-court south-american players, like João Fonseca ou Francisco Cerundolo, for example.”
“I'm really glad the outcome of this 11th edition, coming into our second decade of existence we couldn’t have hoped for more. We were should out minutes after releasing the tickets for sale and then came the ‘huricane' João Fonseca, what made people want to stay even more time at the venue and consume more the ‘Rio Open product’. I’m feeling really positive and hopeful for the next edition”, said Carvalho.
According to him, one of the biggest differentials that the Rio Open can offer the players is the warmth of Brazilian people. “The players feel really comfortable here and our crowd always brings an amazing atmosphere. They like to support the underdog and they can always change a match.”
Carvalho also said that the possibility of changing the tournament from clay to hard courts is something that is being considered. “I have no doubt that this would attract a bigger number of players. With the calendar we have now it’s not easy for them to play in Australia on hard court, then come here to play on clay and then move to North America for hard courts again”, he said.
“I don’t believe that the South-American tennis would loose anything if we changed to hard. We have many very good hard-court south-american players, like João Fonseca ou Francisco Cerundolo, for example.”
