Tournament director John van Lottum: 'We have taken the next step'

Huge pride. Those were the first words spoken by tournament director John van Lottum when asked what feeling he had during the first day of the World Padel Tour Decathlon Amsterdam Open at AFAS Live. 'We have become more professional, but retained the warm atmosphere of last year,' he said.

After the successful first edition in Amsterdam's Central Markthal, the tournament director and the rest of the team wanted to take the next step during the second edition in the AFAS Live. 'This is as we had it in our minds. We have taken the next step,' Van Lottum said as he looked into the impressive stadium.

Among other things, he was referring to the 3,200 seats, flashing lights, beautiful court, DJ booth and the warm and intimate atmosphere. He heard from World Padel Tour representatives that many venues in other parts of the world cannot match the World Padel Tour Decathlon Amsterdam Open. 'That of course makes you enormously proud.'

While the first matches during the opening day - 'Dutch Day' - were played, Van Lottum was still busy in between watching to put the last details in order. 'You still want to know if the players are enjoying themselves and if the course is good,' he said. 'But the first reactions are very positive and they love the atmosphere.'

That padel is alive and well in the Netherlands was shown by how much demand there was for tickets for the World Padel Tour Decathlon Amsterdam Open, which runs until Sunday. Van Lottum could proudly say that the stadium sold out solidly every day. He expects around 30 thousand visitors in total. A wonderful number.

Van Lottum thinks the World Padel Tour Decathlon Amsterdam Open can give the already popular padel sport in the Netherlands an extra boost. 'Here come the best players in the world. That makes for enormous spectacle. The spectators see balls they have never seen in real life,' he said. 'Furthermore, it is good that the sport gets more attention this way and is on television.'