The ATP has announced the winners of the 2013 ATP World Tour Awards Tournaments of the Year. It came as no surprise that past winners Shanghai Masters and Dubai Tennis Championships were given the awards once more. The third honour went to the Aegon Championships in Queen’s Club who won the award for the first time.
The winners of the Tournament of the Year Awards are determined through voting by the ATP players. Shanghai Masters won in the ATP Masters 1000 category, Dubai Tennis Championships won in the ATP 500 category and Queen’s Club in ATP 250 category.
The Shanghai Masters has won in its respective category for the fifth straight time.
“It is with boundless gratitude that I thank the ATP players, our title sponsor Rolex and the amazing JUSS team on winning for the fifth consecutive year the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Tournament of the Year honour,” said Jiang Lan, CEO of Shanghai Juss Event Management Co., Ltd. “We must share the recognition with the city of Shanghai for enabling us to host the greatest tennis players in the world, in one of the greatest cities in the world. We are truly thrilled to win the award five years running!”
Dubai has won the award for the 10th time in the past 11 years.
“As the tournament organisers, it is a great honour to once again receive the award for Best Tournament in the ATP 500 category for the 10th time,” said Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free. “We have always tried to ensure that the players have a fantastic experience when they come to Dubai and that we create a very relaxed and friendly environment. Also over the years we have greatly enhanced the facilities, including the opening of our own five-star hotel on-site, the Jumeirah Creekside, which has been very well received by the players.
“Our thanks to the ATP and the players for once again recognising the efforts that we have made to ensure that the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is top of their list year after year.”
Defending champion Novak Djokovic agrees with the announcement: “It’s been voted for six times in a row as the best 500 tournament, and it’s definitely one of the best organised tournaments in the world. They make sure that all the players feel like they’re at home. They have great facilities, and now with the new hotel it has become even more convenient for the players to be close to the courts. For a player to be part of such a great event is always an honour.”
Meanwhile, Queen’s Club ended the 11-year run of the Bastad tournament in the category by winning the ATP 250 Tournament of the Year 2013. However, this grasscourt tournament will be promoted to an ATP 500 event starting next year.
“We are delighted to receive this award which recognises the fabulous jobs that our Aegon Championships team, The Queen’s Club and our long-time Tournament Director and now the ATP’s Executive Chairman and President, Chris Kermode, have done over the years, and the contribution made by our commercial partners, particularly Aegon,” said Michael Downey, Chief Executive, Lawn Tennis Association. “We are now building towards making the 2014 event a success, with our sights also set firmly on 2015, when the tournament will attain ATP-500 status for the first time, at the heart of an expanded grass court season.”
