Peter-M. Reichel
Difficult situation in tennis, agreement with LASK!
He is the father of the Linz tennis tournament, but this year for the first time he will not be able to take part in the 34th edition due to illness: Peter-Michael Reichel spoke to the "Krone" on his cell phone about the situation of the Upper Austria Ladies and the agreement with his former club LASK after long court disputes.
"Krone": Mr. Reichel, people are looking in vain for you at your tournament in the Linz Design Center this year!
Peter-M. Reichel: I have a bad case of flu and am in Switzerland, missing the tournament for the first time in 34 years.
How is it coming across on TV and on the Internet?
Good, very good!
Unfortunately, none of the world's top 10 players can be seen!
We're really surprised how difficult it was to get any. We discussed with 15 of the top 20. I couldn't travel to Australia and talk to them in person. We have a lot of ex-top 10 players now, but the plan was to get one or two current ones. We're a bit frustrated that it didn't work out. But the players fly directly from Australia to Asia and from there to the Middle East - it's particularly difficult for them to make a turn via Europe.
What does that mean for the future?
We're in discussions with the Tour about how the calendar will develop and where it's best to find your place. But nothing will change in 2026.
So the tournament will definitely be held in Linz again in 2026?
Yes, it will! But we still have to think about what we can arrange with the players. We have to generate additional interest months in advance with sponsorship so that they compete in Europe.
Financing the tournament won't get any easier in times like these.
We've been struggling for years, we're already missing one or two major partners. It's a difficult situation, I would say. But we are trying very hard and hope that we will be able to continue organizing a major tournament in Upper Austria. The worldwide advertising value is fantastic. But two Bundesliga soccer teams also eat up a lot of sponsor capital.
Are you also watching LASK's cup game against Salzburg on TV?
To be honest, I've been far away from the misery.
Have your financial court disputes with LASK been resolved?
Yes, about half a year ago. Under pressure from the court, we accepted a deal proposed by the judge after around ten years. My daughter said she was really annoyed by the whole thing and wanted to get out. I didn't really want to - but well, we accepted the settlement and put an end to it.
Who will win the Upper Austria Ladies 2025?
Elina Svitolina was definitely one of the absolute favorites, but she has already been eliminated. I would say Karolina Muchova, who is a great player and has also been ranked No. 8 in the world.
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