10.06.2017 12:14:25 | “I thanked to Jiří Kunert and Ivo Kaderka at the closing party yesterday for helping us to fund the tournament. We have proved in the long run that we have been very good and experienced in ensuring the presence of VIP personalities. However, what increasingly bothers us is the quality of players field. Firstly, the grass season has been extended and some players do not want to return to clay anymore and, secondly, we have had eighteen players signed up this year and half of them advanced to the doubles third round in Paris…
Considering the prize money at Grand Slams, the defeated pair receives EUR 37 thousand in the third round. Thus, a teammate of the defeated pair receives the same prize money as the champion of our tournament (EUR 18,290). The runner up receives EUR 10,770. The Grand Slam prize money in first rounds has been an unbeatable competition for us. Of course, players pursue their financial goals, they also play tennis for money. Many of them want to earn good money over their short or long careers. What is very difficult for us? We hold the tournament in favour of the Czech tennis and Czech players increasingly lag behind. Yes, Berdych would have probably appeared in Prostějov after he was ousted in Paris if he did not have problems with his back. Radek Štěpánek is coming back after the surgery and does his best to return as soon as possible. We must quickly help those who can be included among talents, for example fifteen-year-old Dalibor Svrčina and Patrik Rikl. The crowd wants to see Czech players and support them. Finally, the tournament has ended up great, but it is a result of a lot of work of those who made it happen. Honestly, it is more and more difficult. I would like to point out another name: Jaroslav Levinský has been the tournament manager and it was a sight for sore eyes to see him in Paris when players signed up for UniCredit Czech Open were advancing to next rounds. At one point, only five players remained out of eighteen…“
