Vienna Open Organizers Object Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’s Charity Match in Kazakhstan

Edwin Weindorfer, the organizer of the Erste Bank Open in Vienna is not happy with the exhibition match at Kazakhstan, where Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will play a charity match, later this month.

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are committed to playing an exhibition match in Kazakhstan later this month. The Serbian will, therefore, miss the Basel Open and the Vienna Open 2019 as he will be present in the central Asian country during the period when the tournament is scheduled in Basel and Vienna.

The organizer of the Vienna Open took a sly dig at the exhibition event in Kazakhstan as he explained that according to the rules there cannot be an exhibition match while an ATP tournament is going on. However, ATP CEO Chris Kermode approved the match in Kazakhstan during the Erste Bank Open 2019 in Vienna and Edwin feels that they should respect the rule.

Edwin Weindorfer said in an interview with Tennis World USA, “There was approval from ATP CEO Chris Kermode because, per rules, during ATP tournaments, an exhibition match cannot be held. So we need to respect that. I do not think it’s good that there are exhibitions ongoing during ATP events.”

Weindorfer, who is also the tournament director of the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart and organizes the WTA Berlin and ATP Mallorca, further added, “Players are ATP members. There is an offseason after the ATP Finals and anybody can play during that time.”

Novak Djokovic will also drop his No.1 spot in the ATP rankings to Rafael Nadal as 1600 points will be detected from his ATP points on November 4.

However, the scenario could have been different for the Serb if he would have participated in either of the ATP 500 tournaments in Basel or Vienna as he could have gained some ATP points, playing one there.