The BMW Open by Bitpanda may have taken a big step forward in 2025, but that doesn't mean the clay court tournament is forgetting where it came from. The tournament, which will be held as the ATP 500 for the first time this year, will remain at its long-standing home, Munich's Iphitos Tennis Club. Expanding club tournaments is often a major challenge, especially when it comes to maintaining the personal atmosphere that makes them so popular. However, Tournament Director Patrik Kuhnen is convinced that he and his team have struck a good balance with the new-look BMW Open by Bitpanda.
"Our 'DNA' in recent years as a 250s tournament has always been 'hands-on tennis' for the fans and players," Kuhnen, former No. 43 in the ATP rankings, told ATPTour.com in Munich. "The fans have the opportunity to see training sessions, be close to the players and get a feel for the emotions and training of the players. They can also get up close to the matches and experience a unique club atmosphere.
We also want to keep this atmosphere alive as much as possible with a new category. I think that this year we have managed to keep the spirit or atmosphere of the tournament in the 500 category as well, as I have heard from the spectators."
The BMW Open by Bitpanda is one of three former ATP 250 tournaments (plus Dallas and Doha) that have been upgraded to ATP 500 level as part of the ATP's OneVision strategic plan. According to top seed, home favourite and defending champion Alexander Zverev, the efforts of Kuhnen and his team to justify the change are clear to see. "I think they've done a great job," said Zverev. "They've upgraded Centre Court and the players' village is fantastic. They're also going to build a completely new Centre Court with a roof in a couple of years. So they are really taking care of the facility. They've taken the upgrade seriously. And that's definitely nice to see."
As you enter the tournament grounds, you soon see the biggest element of the newly designed Munich site. A temporary 6,500-seat stadium court has been erected in front of the clubhouse, helping to create the feeling that the traditional infrastructure is merging with a world-class event. "Centre Court is beautiful," said Zverev. "It's much bigger and it's a different place. It was nice before. It was small and very familiar. But the tournament has always been sold out in recent years and now, with the bigger stadium, it's sold out again. So the upgrade was definitely a positive thing."
Kuhnen explained that the new Centre Court location was at the heart of the tournament's upgrade, while there have also been some major improvements for players, including an expanded warm-up area and a spacious pop-up dining area with a wooden façade inspired by traditional Bavarian architecture. "The centre court at the heart of the club is what we wanted and needed," he said. "We also now have four courts and lots of training areas where players can prepare, which is not new, but for the players the whole dining area has changed. We used to have a two-storey marquee. Now we have created a completely new VIP dining area for the players and that is a huge improvement. We've met the required standards and I think we've ticked a lot of boxes."
Many debutants came to Munich for the premiere of the ATP 500 tournament, including Ben Shelton and Francisco Cerundolo, who both reached the semi-finals. Others, such as German doubles star Kevin Krawietz, are already familiar with the event. "Munich always feels like home because I live here," said Krawietz, a former champion in the Bavarian city who is competing alongside Tim Pütz this year. "I think the new stadium is incredibly beautiful. When they said: 'We're building a new stadium', I was afraid it would lose its flair, but they've done it well. The players' restaurant also has a bit of a Bavarian tradition, done in the style of a wooden house. I think it's great."
The organisers of the BMW Open by Bitpanda have big plans. There are already plans for a new, permanent stadium with a retractable roof. This is another important step for an event that was sold out for all nine days this year, including the two qualifying days. "We have more spectators this year and it was a challenge to integrate that into the club atmosphere and move to a 500 tournament," said Kühnen. "But it was a challenge we were happy to take on. We had to develop some new ideas, take a fresh look at where we wanted to go. But so far, so good. Everything I've heard so far from spectators and players has been nothing but very positive."
Source: ATP
