Hamburg - The German Tennis Federation (DTB) said on Tuesday that it is to appeal the decision by a United States court removing Hamburg from the Masters Series tennis calendar. "We want to do everything to maintain the value of the tournament," DTB president Georg von Waldenfels told a news conference in Hamburg.
On August 5, a jury of the District Court in Wilmington, Delaware ruled against the DTB in its case against the men's tennis body ATP over its decision to remove the German Open from the 2009 Masters Series.
"We aren't carrying on the legal process for the fun of it and want a harmonious relationship and are interested in agreement but it can't be that such a decision is solely to the detriment of the DTB," said von Waldenfels.
The DTB has invested heavily in the German Open in recent years and would be demanding damages, he added.
"Our lawyers are of the view that the ruling could open the way for substantial damages," said the DTB boss.
The DTB expects a ruling on their appeal by the end of 2008 or beginning of 2009.
Tournament director Carl-Uwe Steeb said the clay-court event in Hamburg will definitely continue as a third level ATP 500 event.
However, instead of taking place in May before the French Open, the 2009 tournament will be July 20-26, with a Madrid Masters tournament for men and women becoming the warm-up event for Roland Garros.
