ABN AMRO extends main sponsorship of ABN AMRO Open tennis tournament for next three years

ABN AMRO and Rotterdam Ahoy have been organising the ABN AMRO Open together since the very first edition in 1974. The tournament has grown to become one of the world’s largest indoor tennis events. ABN AMRO is the proud founder of the wheelchair tennis tournament. The bank is delighted that this extension will enable it to keep presenting elite tennis and elite wheelchair tennis to fans all over the world and that the tournament directors Richard Krajicek and Esther Vergeer will continue their involvement. Their expertise, network and passion allow our fans to enjoy the world’s best tennis talent year after year.

Accelerating equal opportunities

The renewal is part of ABN AMRO’s sponsorship strategy, which is geared towards accelerating equal opportunities. The bank’s main focus in this is on women, athletes with a disability, and children from disadvantaged backgrounds. At the ABN AMRO Open, these aspects come together and the bank creates a social impact, making the event even more special.

Robert Swaak, Chief Executive Officer ABN AMRO: “The ABN AMRO Open provides a wonderful platform for world-class tennis and world-class wheelchair tennis. We also welcome a large number of clients to the tournament. Since 2009, we have been working to offer wheelchair tennis an equal platform and to make a social impact with the tournament. We do this through ABN AMRO Foundation and by collaborating with partners like the Esther Vergeer Foundation. We are proud of our role as main sponsor of the tournament and look forward to again creating a platform for sporting achievements in the years ahead.”

Jolanda Jansen, CEO of Rotterdam Ahoy: "ABN AMRO has the longest-running name association on the ATP Tour, and it's fantastic to be adding another three years to that. It's a partnership in the truest sense. Every year, we work together to see how we can make the ABN AMRO Open even better – for the players, the fans, and the media. The steps we've taken have only been possible through a collaboration where we constantly help each other and challenge each other to grow."

Richard Krajicek, Tournament Director: "A game, a set, and a perfect match. That's how I'd describe the partnership between the tournament and ABN AMRO. International tennis is embarking on a new beginning, with new stars attracting new fans to the sport. It’s exciting being able to help shape this with ABN AMRO and Rotterdam Ahoy. The 52nd edition of the tournament, with more visitors than ever, is a great starting point for this new era."

Esther Vergeer, Tournament Director: "After 17 years, the wheelchair tennis tournament is still proof in my eyes that sponsorship really does accelerate. Without ABN AMRO, it wouldn’t have been an integral part of the ABN AMRO Open. And without Rotterdam Ahoy, it wouldn’t have grown to be the success it is today. With nationwide recognition and significant international attention, we're making wheelchair tennis as a whole develop faster."

Biggest hospitality event in the Netherlands

The ABN AMRO Open is a leading tournament on the ATP and ITF tours, attracting the world’s best players. The spectator count reaches new record highs year after year. The tournament is an important meeting place for the bank and its clients. It is the biggest hospitality event in the Netherlands, drawing around 127,000 visitors a year, including around 10,000 ABN AMRO business associates. The bank and Rotterdam Ahoy see plenty of opportunities to keep innovating and improving every year to ensure the tournament remains the leading event it is today. Together, ABN AMRO and Rotterdam Ahoy are investing in the tournament experience and quality, and boosting its impact.

For every new beginning

ABN AMRO aims to accelerate equal opportunities, in line with its brand promise, ‘For every new beginning’. As one of the Netherlands’ leading banks, ABN AMRO’s sponsorship policy focuses on supporting athletes with a disability, women, and children from disadvantaged backgrounds. To achieve its ambitions, ABN AMRO works closely with partners in sports, arts and culture, and society that share the same drive – financially, but equally importantly through coaching and by using our network. In this way, our sponsorship helps create an inclusive society.