Many changes had happened for the 14 years of the International tennis
tournament St. Petersburg Open history: the prize fund increased from $300 000
to $1 000 000, new winners were awarded, new partners appeared… Only one thing
remained – the energy and passion for sport in everything connected with the
tournament.
The St. Petersburg Open history began in 1995 when the first International
tennis tournament ATP St. Petersburg Open was organized for the first time in
St. Petersburg. Since the first years of the tournament development the city’s
administration, mass-media and residents of the Northern Capital used to support
it. Heads and owners of the leading companies of St. Petersburg and Russia,
well-known politicians, public figures, representatives of foreign countries –
all of them are usual guests and spectators of the competition. Moreover, the
Governor of St. Petersburg, Valentina Matvienko is the Head of the tournament’s
Organizing Committee.
The tremendous popularity of St. Petersburg Open is confirmed by numerous
researches – according to the booking’s total about 300 000 people attended the
matches between 2002 and 2006. Besides that, millions of spectators all over the
world watched the tournament matches on television as they are always
broadcasted by main Russian and world TV-channels.
The high organizational level of St. Petersburg Open was appreciated within
Russia and abroad. Among its winners are such famous athletes as Yevgeny
Kafelnikov, Magnus Gustafsson, Thomas Johansson, Richard Krajicek, Marc Rosset,
Marat Safin, Sebastien Grosjean, Gustavo Kuerten, Mikhail Youzhny, Mario Ancic.
At the ATP Board of Directors council which took place in London during the
“Grand Slam – Wimbledon” the St. Petersburg Open-2006 was presented one more ATP
award of excellence in “Player Services” nomination. This prize is usually
awarded to the tournament for the best service for players, for the most
comfortable conditions of players’ accommodation and etc. The tournament also
has ATP awards in other nominations such as “Visitors Interest” (1999), “Best
Advertising and Marketing Efforts” (2001), “Best Tournament Organization”
(2002), Best Arena Design (2003, 2005).
