8 - 16 June 2024
Autotron 's-Hertogenbosch

8 - 16 June 2024 | Autotron 's-Hertogenbosch

Libéma Open Stories #6: Richard Krajicek

12/06/20, 18:48

Due to the Corona pandemic Libéma Open 2020 was postponed to 5-13 June 2021. This week, the week the tournament would have taken place at the beautiful grass courts of the Autotron ‘s-Hertogenbosch, we look back at some of the players’ greatest, funniest, most emotional and most successful moments during the tournament.

This time we talk to twofold champion Richard Krajicek.

In 1994 Richard Krajicek became the first Dutch winner in ’s-Hertogenbosch. Three years later he repeated this result.

Krajicek says that by achieving his first victory on home soil he brook through a barrier. From that moment on he knew he was able to play on top level in front of a home crowd. A year later he was also the best player at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, of which he became the tournament director after his sporting career.

After the 1997 final Krajicek flew to London by helicopter, because he had to traditionally open centre court at Wimbledon as the title defender.

It was an emotional moment for Krajicek when he returned to the Brabant grass courts in 2002 after 20 months full of injuries to play against Roger Federer.

A year later he played his last match. You can see in this video interview what that meant to him.