The Rotterdam Open, also known as the ABN AMRO Open due to sponsorship reasons, is traditionally played indoors, and it has been played since it was first held in 1972 when legendary Arthur Ashe became the champion of the inaugural tournament.
The host venue for the event is the Rotterdam Ahoy Arena, which is a multipurpose indoor arena that has hosted several events over the years, including the Eurovision Song Contest, World Table Tennis Championships, and the Women's Volleyball World Championship.
The event's history is very fascinating, as after the first tournament was held in 1972, the 1973 tournament was not held, and only 11 years later, the 1984 Rotterdam Open singles final was never finished.
Ivan Lendl and Jimmy Connors battled for the trophy in the Dutch city, but the match was stopped after a bomb threat. Lendl wasn't prepared to finish the match, as the two agreed with the organizers that it wouldn't be finished, ending the tournament with two runner-ups.
Roger Federer hasn't played the tournament often, but his two final appearances broke the attendance record, first in 2012 and then in 2018 as well. Former Dutch player Richard Krajicek has been tournament director since 2004, and he's generally been able to put together some strong entry lists over the years.
The event is popular and visited by multiple top names each year, which a quick glance at the winner's list confirms. The list of past champions is long and includes names such as Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Lleyton Hewitt, Stefan Edberg, and Bjorn Borg, who all won this event.
