The organizers are taking this as an opportunity to look back on half a century of world-class tennis at this year's tournament on the one hand and, on the other, to draw a line from the past to the future.

All activities focusing on “50 years of tennis in Vienna” at this year's tournament will come together under the subline Champions of Vienna. Tournament Director Herwig Straka explains: “The Erste Bank Open has many champions to offer and so does Vienna. We will recall the highlights of the tournament's history, but at the same time expand the diverse range of the Erste Bank Open with new ideas and formats, using this anniversary as an opportunity to look to the future."

Muster and Thiem in the spotlight

A MUST for every fan will be the Champions of Vienna - The official ATP Experience exhibition, where in October and November 2024 tennis clothing and rackets from the past 50 years will be on display in the Wiener Stadthalle, as well as former winners' trophies, tournament posters, legendary photos and much more. The successful careers of Austrian Grand Slam champions Thomas Muster and Dominic Thiem, who will retire from the big tennis stage at this year's Erste Bank Open, will be a particular focus.

The theme of “world-class tennis in a world metropolis” will be rolled out across Vienna. Magic (tennis) Moments in the City will be brought to life for tennis fans throughout the city in an innovative way. The most exciting moments and funniest incidents since the tournament premiere in 1974 will be documented in detail in an exclusive printed magazine, and there will also be a wide range of merchandising and fan articles.

Long-standing tournament partners will also be honoring this anniversary. Rado, for example, will be producing 50 pieces of an exclusive watch model. The Champions of Vienna logo and UNIQUE PIECE lettering on the transparent case back highlight the uniqueness of each individual watch. Each one is dedicated to a tournament of the past 50 years and bears a corresponding engraving.