ABN AMRO Open celebrates 50th anniversary

Ever since 1974, ABN AMRO and Rotterdam Ahoy have been welcoming the world's top players – from Okker to Ashe, Borg to Connors and Hewitt to Federer – to the ABN AMRO Open. In the past half century, numerous tennis stars found fame during this prestigious ATP 500 tournament. Of all 28 tennis players who have ranked number one in the world, as many as 22 have played at the ABN AMRO Open, and every single wheelchair player who's reached number one in the past 15 years has participated as well. “The 50th anniversary of the ABN AMRO Open is a milestone in the sport's history,” director Richard Krajicek proudly says. “Since the very beginning, the tournament has been a springboard for emerging talent. This is where numerous tennis legends – Dimitrov, Tsitsipas, Auger-Aliassime, Spaargaren and many others – got the chance to prove themselves on an international stage. Of course, we're continuing this tradition into the coming years as well. During this 50th edition, as in past editions, young talent will challenge the established order, so I'm counting on another beautiful and exciting tournament.”

“But this year's ABN AMRO Open is special in more ways than one. We're not only celebrating the 50th anniversary of the tournament, but also hosting the women's wheelchair tennis tournament for the first time. The way it coincides with the 50th edition for tennis and the 15th edition for wheelchair tennis, that's unique,” says Esther Vergeer, tournament director of wheelchair tennis at ABN AMRO Open. “We have so much female tennis talent in the Netherlands and it's fantastic that they'll be competing on the same stage, at such an international event with such a fantastic line-up, in their own country.”

Accelerating toward a sustainable and inclusive society

As main sponsor of the ABN AMRO Open, ABN AMRO has pushed the sport to new heights every year since 1974. “Together with our partners, we're committed to making the ABN AMRO Open a more sustainable and inclusive event,both on and off court,” says Sander Bestevaar, head of Partnerships, Events & Foundations at ABN AMRO. “For example: in partnership with the Youth Education Fund, every year more than 200 employees volunteer at the ABN AMRO Foundation to introduce 500 children from disadvantaged backgrounds to tennis. We're also giving old tennis and padel balls a new life by recycling them into new balls. Last year we donated 90,000 used tennis balls torecycling company Renewaball. Part of the material was integrated into the sports floor of the Krajicek Playground in Rotterdam, so children can safely play and do sports there. We made it happen by placing collection bins at over 200 tennis and padel clubs. Just one of the many steps we as a bank have been taking over the years to accelerate toward a more sustainable and inclusive society. We're proud we've been able to contribute as a main sponsor of this event for so many years, and we'll continue to work on these goals for years to come.”

Sponsor of sustainable, social and cultural projects

ABN AMRO has been a main sponsor of the international tennis tournament for 50 years and was also the founding sponsor of the wheelchair tennis tournament at the ABN AMRO Open 15 years ago. Being a main sponsor is part of ABN AMRO's broader sponsorship strategy. The bank wants to make society better and more sustainable, and does so with a wide range of sustainable, social and cultural projects including sponsorship for various sports. This also allows ABN AMRO to express its strong focus on promoting diversity and inclusion in sport.

50 years of the ABN AMRO Open: facts and figures

• Ever since 1974, top international tennis players have entered the ABN AMRO Open. The first edition was won by a Dutchman, Tom Okker.

• Since the turn of the century, seminars have been added to the ABN AMRO Open. Over the years, the tournament has grown into the largest business hospitality platform in the Netherlands. More than 110,000 people visit the tournament every year, including 50,000 business contacts.

• The men's wheelchair tennis tournament saw its first edition during the ABN AMRO Open in 2009.

• Since 2013, ABN AMRO has been organising the Ball Kids Selection. Many professional tennis players once started out as a ball boy or girl. Every year, 400 children apply to be selected for this; 50 are eventually chosen to make their appearance during the ABN AMRO Open. Since 2021, the Ball Kids selection has also been open to children with disabilities.

• The ABN AMRO Foundation has been involved in the ABN AMRO Open since 2015. Every year, 200 volunteers dedicate themselves to introducing 500 children from disadvantaged backgrounds to tennis. ABN AMRO does this in collaboration with the Youth Education Fund.

• In the run-up to the ABN AMRO Open, ABN AMRO is committed to making tennis more sustainable. Almost 5.5 million tennis balls are used every year in the Netherlands, but 97 percent of these end up binned, incinerated, or lost in nature. That's why the bank facilitates the collection of used tennis balls. These form the raw materials for the 'Renewaball', the world's first fully circularly produced tennis ball. All tournament balls used during the ABN AMRO Open will be collected, and over 200 collection bins have been placed at tennis and padel clubs. Renewaball handles the recycling and processing of these old tennis balls.

• Together with the Esther Vergeer Foundation, ABN AMRO is committed to making wheelchair tennis more accessible. ABN AMRO's Tomorrow Club programme supports five tennis clubs to get as many children as possible playing wheelchair tennis.

• This year marks the first edition of the women's wheelchair tennis tournament at the ABN AMRO Open.