2300 daily spectators permitted for the Hamburg European Open
For the 2020 Hamburg European Open, 2,300 spectators will be permitted daily on the center court at Rothenbaum. A green light was given by the sports department of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, the health authority, and the district office in Eimsbüttel. “We would like to thank the City of Hamburg for placing its trust in our comprehensive Covid-19 safety plan. The health of our visitors, players, and employees is our top priority,” said tournament director Sandra Reichel on Tuesday, about ten days before the start of the tennis tournament in the Hanseatic City (September 19–27).
This means that the men’s professional tournament of the ATP 500 series, whose completely renovated center court has a capacity of 10,000 spectators, will be granted an exception. The Hamburg Senate decided on Tuesday to make further adjustments to the coronavirus regulations. Outdoor sports events will be approved if the event takes place at a venue without a closed roof structure with more than 10,000 seats, if possible, and if the venue has secured entrances and exits. Moreover, an unlimited supply of fresh air is a prerequisite and that the organizers present a special protection concept. Hamburg’s Sports Senator Andy Grote (SPD) said: “The traditional Rothenbaum tennis tournament will be the first sports event with a larger number of spectators in Hamburg. I am pleased that in this case we can go beyond the limit of 1,000 visitors. The decision made by the Senate today is an important signal. We were able to take another step towards normality in sport in a responsible way. “
Advance ticket sales for the 2020 Hamburg European Open are scheduled to start on Wednesday – beginning with a 24-hour pre-sale (a right of first refusal) for those who had already purchased a ticket for the original tournament date in July. Open advance ticket sales start on Thursday.
The figure of 2,300 refers only to the number of spectators allowed on the center court. Tournament matches on the match courts M1 and M2 will take place behind privacy fences without spectators. This is due to the fact that it would not be possible to trace where visitors sit and when. Consequently, no ground tickets will be sold. The seating distribution on the center court is based on the existing distance guidelines.
As a further Corona-related health protection measure, the tickets are personalized and can only be booked via the online store and the phone hotline. In addition, time slots will be allocated for admission, within which visitors will be allowed to enter the tournament grounds at different times. This is intended to prevent the gathering of large crowds. Mouth and nose protection must be worn at all times on the grounds. Only when the spectators have taken their seats will it no longer be required to wear a mask, eating is allowed without wearing mask as well. Serving alcohol is forbidden on site.
The Hamburg European Open is the only German tennis tournament of the two major professional tours ATP and WTA that will take place this year. The 114th edition of the clay-court event has an impressive line up, with five top ten players and seven other top 20 players having registered. The entry list is headed by the world number five Daniil Medvedev from Russia, the winner of the ATP finals in London, Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece/ ATP 6), and Matteo Berrettini, the world number eight from Italy.
