When Angelique Kerber talks about the tennis tournament in Bad Homburg, she likes to use the term "boutique tournament".

This is a word created by Kerber, derived from the marketing term "boutique hotel", and is intended to describe the very personal, but also exclusive ambience at the WTA event in the Kurpark, which is characterized by great attention to detail.

Kerber is directly involved in organizing the tournament.

It has one goal: the players should feel just as comfortable as the spectators and everyone who is busy around the tournament.

At the premiere last year, which she also won as a player herself, it worked well.

Pirmin Clossé

sports editor.

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However, if the Bad Homburg tennis tournament were actually a hotel, one would probably still say that the past year was only a kind of "soft opening".

A gentle, almost secret opening, without the big cinnabar of a celebratory opening event.

Due to strict corona measures, only a few spectators were allowed in the stands.

Many other aspects of the event were also scaled back significantly.

This year it should really start.

With full seats, a good atmosphere and top-class tennis.

The fact that Kerber's plan with the feel-good event worked out last year is shown by the large amount of positive feedback, especially from the players.

On Tuesday, for example, Olympic champion Belinda Bencic from Switzerland, one of the current best in the scene, confirmed her participation.

To justify her, she said: "I've heard from other players that the tournament is super nice." She "loves lawn tournaments," said Bencic.

"And because it's held in the Kurpark, there's an extreme Wimbledon flair."

Next to the local heroes Kerber and Andrea Petkovic, Bencic is the most prominent player who will open in the Kurpark from June 19th to 25th.

According to FAZ information, the organizers are in advanced talks with another top player who has also won a Grand Slam tournament in the recent past.

A few more are likely to follow.

The grass season is short and Bad Homburg offers the last chance to get the finishing touches for the Grand Slam classic in London in the week before Wimbledon.

So the program is taking shape.

The real premiere, the "Grand Opening" of the boutique tournament, if you will, can come.

Tickets are still available for the Monday through Thursday matches, but the opening day, semi-finals and final are sold out.