Extract from an interview with the ATP Chairman, Andrea Gaudenzi, in today's Times:
Queen's could host pre-Wimbledon Masters event
A new ATP Masters 1000 grass-court tournament could be held on British soil as part of the build-up to Wimbledon.
The Queen's Club in London is a potential venue after Gaudenzi proposed through his strategic plan that the Masters series of events includes grass for the first time since it was established in 1990. Masters are considered the most prestigious tournaments after the four grand slams and generally attract most, if not all, of the best players in the world.
"I personally like the concept of having an ATP Masters 1000 tournament on grass the week of Queen's and Halle [an existing concurrent event in Germany]," Gaudenzi told The Times. "It is something I have proposed to the stakeholders and to the board. I like the concept of a strong Masters 1000 leading into Wimbledon. We have a grand slam on grass, but not a Masters 1000. It is obviously going to have to be discussed by everyone, but that could be a way of bringing a big event to the UK."
Youre right, Queens is effectively a residential area - sorry, Queens is in a residential area. One plus point is the amenities in the Borough of K&C are pretty hard to beat in terms of hotels, restuarants, shops, bars etc , other things to do nearby such as the museums, it really is a place to visit if you wanted to come to a big tennis event and be a tourist at the same time. Expensive but...
But the area is tight and the club in a small , relatively compact area. To hold a 48 draw singles and 24 doubles (like they used to do, to be fair, even 56 it may possibly have been?) is do - able though. You can manage that with the number of courts they have quite easily - I think 4 courts would do it really, for me.
Hope it comes to pass - Queens has always been to go to event ahead of Halle - Halle had Roger and that was really it. Once Roger retires in the next year or two, Queens will still be the leading grass event
