Two top Challenger 50 events are in full swing in Crete and were prepared by Apostolos Tsitsipas’ International Tennis Coaching (I.T.C.), hosted by LYTTOS BEACH RESORT & SPORTS CENTER, under the auspices of the Hellenic Tennis Federation (EFOA) and with the support of the Region of Crete.
These are two consecutive tournaments of the top series of the World ATP Challenger, a tournament category that is taking place again in Greece after 13 years and hosts 100 top tennis players from all over the world! Along with the ATP’s attendants and representatives, there are approximately 300 athletes and visitors from all over the world who are related to tennis.
Today, during a press conference, the Deputy Regional Governor for Sports Leonidas Terzis welcomed the athletes, participants and supporters, emphasizing the continuous support of the Region of Crete for major sporting events that highlight the island as a distinct tourist destination. “The Region of Crete always stands by sports and assists the efforts of federations and clubs. Sports are high on the agenda of the Region of Crete. We co-organize, participate, and strengthen the actions of all clubs,” he stated.
After thanking the Governor of Crete, Stavros Arnaoutakis, for his long-standing support for the sport, Apostolos Tsitsipas presented his vision for a series of professional ATP Challenger tournaments in Greece and especially in Crete, in order to promote it on a global level and give young people the opportunity to take the big step in professional tennis, as well as to advertise Crete as a distinct tourist and sports destination in Greece and Europe.
As Apostolos Tsitsipas noted, the development of competitive tennis is a driving force for tourism, while he emphasized that Crete can dream of top tournaments “since the two tournaments we already hold are of a very high level” and pledged that “when the appropriate conditions are created, we will dare to do so”.
Among the athletes, Christos Antonopoulos stated that he was completely satisfied with the organization, expressing “my joy that such tournaments are held in my country. I feel that it gives us an additional incentive to compete with more passion. We see it every day from the Greek athletes, and not only those who play in the finals, but from all those who competed in all the rounds and it is important that school children come and support the matches, because they enter the world of tennis”.
During the interview, the Director of the matches, Antonis Kalaitzakis, referred to the organizational process and the results of the event, emphasizing that the first week was crowned with success and invited the audience “for the last two days with the important matches remaining in the finals over the weekend” thanking the Region of Crete and the Municipality of Hersonissos for their support in the organization.
Petros Tsarknias, Director of Competition Planning of the Hellenic Tennis Federation (EFOA), which is the sponsor of the games, underlined that “the big challenge is for all the organizers to move beyond formalities into practice. In this, everyone has their role as part of a large chain that will be strong and will bring the best results”, he stressed.
Yiannis Aslanidis, CEO & Scientific Associate of EMMETROPIA Mediterranean eye Clinic in Heraklion, sponsor of the games, thanked the Tsitsipas family for which, as he said, “Crete is of enormous importance, where Stefanos Tsitsipas has grown up and today the family supports and gives back to the island with the high-profile events that Apostolos Tsitsipas organizes”. At the same time, he thanked the Governor of Crete, Stavros Arnaoutakis, and the Mayor of Hersonissos, Zacharias Doxastakis for their support.
The General Manager of DS AUTOMOBILES VENERIS Giorgos Gardelis, who represented the car sponsor of the races, pointed out that the company supported the races believing that “the cooperation and participation are worth it due to the high level of the organization, the races and the services that the tournaments have” and invited the public to watch the races.
In the end, the organizer thanked Pantelis Sapounakis for their support, for the hospitality at LYTTOS BEACH RESORT & SPORTS CENTER, the Region of Crete, the Municipality of Hersonissos, COSMOTE TV Official Broadcaster, the sponsoring company SIDENOR and the Syggelidis group DS AUTOMOBILES VENERIS Official Car Supplier, as well as the CEO and scientific director of emmetropia Mediterranean eye Clinic, Yannis Aslanidis.
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