The Catalan exhaustman Tommy Robredo has been presented this Wednesday as the new sports director of Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell-Trophy Conde de Godó, tournament of the ATP 500 category that is played on beaten land at the facilities of the RTC Barcelona-1899.
Robredo, winner of the Godó in 2004 and with about twenty participations in the tournament, replaces David Ferrer also extended, who announced that he left the direction of Barcelona’s open last month to face new professional challenges.
Tommy Robredo, born in Hostalric (Girona) 43 years ago, exercised so far as sports advisor of RCT Barcelona, a position that will combine with the direction of the tournament.
In a press conference held at the RCT Barcelona-1899, Robredo has stressed that the Godó is prepared to face the changes that will occur in a circuit with an increasingly demanding calendar and the competition of the Munich Open, which this year has premiered the ATP 500 category and has become disputed in the same week as the Catalan capital tournament.
“Everyone of tennis waiting for Godó week. I always say that it is the best tournament in the world, because it is the home tournament, and I am going to contribute my grain of sand to continue maintaining this level of excellence and that it continues to grow. We will get on the train that is needed to continue being a leading tournament,” said Robredo.
We will get on the train that is needed to remain a leading tournament ”
Tommy RobredoSports Director of the Count of Godó
The Gerundense, who has just turned 43, replaces David Ferrer at the head of the tournament, in a quiet transition that began to take shape a few months ago, when Alicante exhaustman communicated Xavi Pujol, general director of Barcelona Open, his intention to leave office to face new professional challenges.
“With David we have had many conversations, he is a friend and he is glad to take the relay. I want to thank him for the enormous work he has done during the last six years and also the tips he has given me. He told me to be calm, because this tournament has a spectacular team behind,” he said.
In this sense, Pujol, who has accompanied the new director of the tournament during his presentation, has said that they were always clear that Ferrer’s successor had to be Robredo.
Tommy Robredo, in his presentation as the new director of the Conde de Godó trophy.
ALEJANDRO GARCÍA / EFE
“Tommy is a house man, honorary partner and sports advisor, champion of our tournament (he succeeded in 2004) and a player who has been world top-10. He could only be him and have it is a pleasure,” said the CEO of the Barcelona open, who has advanced that the goal is that Robredo stays as a sports director, at least, up to 2029, when the mandate of the current board of the RCT Barcelona.
For his part, the Catalan ex -duty has said that he will be “delighted to continue” at the head of the Godó while the tournament needs it to design sports planning, because he is fulfilling his dream.
“When my retirement approached, I wrote notes about what I would like to do later, and the first things I pointed out was to work in this club and be director of this tournament. Having been able to get both in just two or three years is something magnificent,” he explained.
And it is that Tommy Robredo imagines, in five years, at the head of a Godó “with the same level of players he has now, because having 5 ‘Top-ten’ as this year is not easy to match, and with an even better experience for the fan.”
