August 5, 2014 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
The ATP tour announced on Monday that it has canceled the inaugural Israel Open which was set to take place next month in Tel Aviv because of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the region.
“Ensuring the security of our players, fans and all those involved in organizing a world-class event, is our number one priority,” said ATP President Chris Kermode in a statement. “We hope to be back in Tel Aviv next year. In the meantime, and much more importantly, we hope for a swift return to peace in the region.”
The tournament was set to be held from Sept. 15-21 and would have marked the first ATP tournament in Israel since 1996. The conflict in the region began back on July 8th, and rocket fire has been exchanged between Israel and Hamas for the last month over the Gaza border.
Asaf Tochmeir, the chairman of the Israeli Tennis Association, expressed both his regret and disappointment over the decision.
“We at the ITA have done everything to ensure a successful ATP event takes place in Israel. We have raised sufficient funding and have taken care of all organizational requirements,” said Tochmeir. “On this occasion, I would like to express our most heartfelt concern for the soldiers as well as our condolences for the civilian casualties. We hope to see a swift resolution to the current situation.”
