We will see Federer and Nadal's heirs in Milan - Kermode
In an interview with La Repubblica, ATP Chief Executive Chris Kermode spoke about the Next Gen ATP Finals that will take place in Milan from 5 to 9 November. Kermode said: "In Milan, we will see Federer and Nadal's heirs. The last example is Daniil Medvedev, look at what he was able to do in New York."
On why this event was created, Kermode added: "The emphasis comes from a couple of points. One is we had an idea of we took -- everybody in the sport, the ATP, everybody involved, ITF, media, TV, everybody has promoted heavily the sort of top players as the big four for the last 10 years. As a result, we've had quite a top-heavy period in our game. Quite rightly, because they've won a huge amount of events. What we need to do as the ATP, we have a responsibility to market many more players to a much wider audience. The big focus for us is we're at this incredible time in tennis where we're at almost the changing of the guard. We have superstars in the game that have transcended the sport over the last 10 years, reached beyond tennis and become global sporting icons, Roger, Rafa, Novak (Djokovic) and Andy (Murray) in particular. But the changing of the guard is coming. We have a duty to start highlighting and really bringing to life characters in the game that are coming through with immense, immense talent. One of them happens to be sitting right next to me here. This is the future of the game. There are many of them. The exciting thing for me is we need to tell their story to a much bigger audience. We need to tell their backstory to a much bigger audience. Therefore, when they start walking on the piece of theater that is the big stage, that people know about them, something interesting about them, something personal about them. That is our job."
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/34b9AWj
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