Enthusiastic Tennis Players in Stuttgart - We will be Back Again in 2010! 

Girls, Set & Match - Themed the Porsche-Tennis-Grand-Prix, one of the 20 Premier Events of the WTA Tour 2009, took place in Stuttgart from 25 April to 3 May. The spectators were attending enthralling matches with long pulsating rallies and high drama.

For the first time in the tennis history the new innovative CONICA® tennis surface was successfully used for a WTA tournament.
The clay court CONIPUR® TENNIS FORCE HS is almost identical to the clay court at Roland Garros and therefore, enabled the perfect preparation for the Grand Slam in Paris. The surface offers excellent sliding properties and is very compact and easy on the joints. Due to the equal ball reflection, court failures are nearly excluded. The particular: No watering is necessary because a special treatment of the clay sand ensures the permanent optimum level of surface humidity.

Alex Vuga, CONIPUR TENNIS FORCE project Manager at CONICA explains: “The innovative court has two big advantages: It can be laid and removed very quickly and it hardens very quickly (within 24 hours). This is highly important as the Porsche Arena is a commercially run hall!”
Dinara Safina, the world number 1 of the WTA tour, was highly enthusiastic after only a few rallies: „It is an excellent court,” said the 22-year-old Russian to Tournament Director Markus Günthardt. “We really will have the ideal preparation for the French Open in Paris!”
Victoria Azarenka, the world number 8 of the WTA tour, told during an interview: “The tennis court feels very good to play on. The reflection and speed of the ball are very similar to the surface at the French Open in Paris.” 
The players have again voted the event as their favourite tournament and the best on the tour - for the second time in a row. Laura Ceccarelli, the WTA Tour Supervisor, also was very positive when taking stock of the week in Stuttgart.
 
The tennis court CONIPUR TENNIS FORCE HS, manufactured by BASF in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, was installed by Sportas, a German company based in Olfen. It has been developed by a Sportas team headed by Hans-Joachim Schnei-der.

Next year, the CONICA tennis surface will be used again for the same event. “We will be back again in 2010!” says Vuga proudly.