"New German tennis wave" at the ITF tournament in Meerbusch - organizer Marc Raffel in an interview

For over a decade, Meerbusch has been synonymous with world-class tennis. Marc Raffel, the organizer of ATP Tennis on the Rhine & Ruhr, is now preparing for the 14th edition of the Kirschbaum Meerbusch Open 2026, a world-ranked tournament taking from August 30th to September 6th, 2026, at the Sport and Tennis Resort Meerbusch. Just before the tournament began, we had the opportunity to speak with him about sports, tennis, and the upcoming event.

We have been a proud tournament partner for many years, and this year we again have a fantastic travel prize in store: a tennis holiday ROBINSON ÇAMYUVA for two 

 Marc, you've been successfully running the ATP Tennis format in Meerbusch, near the Rhine & Ruhr region, for almost 15 years now. What keeps you going?

Marc Raffel: As someone who comes from a tennis background myself, I have a special passion for this fantastic sport. It's truly remarkable who has played here in Meerbusch in recent years – from Alexander Zverev to Jan-Lennard Struff, Yannick Hanfmann and Daniel Altmaier, all the way to Dustin Brown and countless top young talents from the ATP Tour. And our tournaments have been, and continue to be, financially sound. That's a brilliant motivation for the years to come – and it makes me quite proud.

What can viewers look forward to this year?

Marc Raffel: This year, as in previous years, many of the best young players from the ATP Tour are competing. It's encouraging that more German players are able to participate again, thanks to their improved world rankings. I like to talk about a new wave of German tennis emerging. Some of these players will also be competing here in Meerbusch, for example, Marvin Möller, who recently broke into the top 250 in the world rankings by reaching the final of the ATP Challenger in Hamburg, Patrick Zahraj, and the 18-year-old Nikolai Barsukov from Leipzig, who is currently making a very positive impression. But in addition to the local German favorites, former ATP Tour stars will also be competing, such as the 2014 Meerbusch champion, Jozef Kovalík (SVK), and Sweden's new tennis hope, the 19-year-old William Rejchtman Vinciguerra.

 What are the attractions for the Meerbusch Open at TeReMeer?

Marc Raffel: We've put together a great supporting program. On tournament Friday, September 4th, 2026, after the day's match, the ATP Business Night will take place starting around 7:30 p.m. for all guests and interested parties. Among other things, we'll be discussing the Cologne/Rhine-Ruhr region's Olympic bid and much more. Tournament Saturday, September 5th, 2026, is "Club Day"—we'll have many club players from the region and club board members at the facility. Finally, on the final Sunday, September 6th, 2026, we're once again organizing our Pro-Am tennis tournament, where tournament partners and sponsors will play a fun tournament together with coaches and pros. And we're setting up a tennis village again—with record participation from partners and sponsors, by the way—and offering a welcoming selection of food and drinks.

 In today's climate, acquiring sponsors is a particular challenge. How is it going at the Meerbusch Open?

Marc Raffel: Tennis is currently experiencing enormous recognition both internationally and nationally – I'm also seeing this in my sponsorship efforts here in Meerbusch. Many companies are showing a strong interest in tennis. In addition to our many loyal partners, we're also welcoming more new sponsors to our partner pool this year. That's naturally very motivating. I'm more concerned about the commitment of public institutions, which, due to extremely tight budgets, are making cuts and risk losing their connection to elite sports and sports in general. Yet, elite sports are an immensely important public service for everyone involved. Not only the top athletes, but also spectators, guests, young talent, volunteers, and the many employees – from a wide variety of countries, by the way – benefit from top-level sporting events. Our organizing team, incidentally, consists of people from many different countries around the world. That's what I call solidarity.

Become our ROBINSON Travel Scout 2026

of the Kirschbaum Meerbusch Open again this year. And as you've come to expect from us, we've got a fantastic travel prize in store. Whether you're there as a spectator or a TennisTravellerfan, you could win a week's tennis holiday for two at the ROBINSON ÇAMYUVA in Kemer, Turkey . As our ROBINSON Travelscout 2026 , you and a companion can look forward to seven nights' accommodation and access to a whopping 12 quartz clay courts, two padel courts, two pickleball courts, a fantastic sports program, wellness facilities, and culinary delights from morning till night. The perfect way to extend your tennis summer right up until the beginning of November.

Sounds too good to be true? Secure your by Monday, September 7, 2026. Enter now and you'll be in with a chance to win YOUR dream tennis holiday on the Turkish Riviera! 

Cherry tree Meerbusch Open compact