BeNeLux Open 2023 Tennis Tournament

On 20 May 2023, at the "Beeline Arena" tennis hall of Kazakhstan's National Scientific and Technical Centre, the BeNeLux Chamber of Commerce in Kazakhstan, with the support of the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, organised a friendly tennis tournament, BeNeLux Open 2023, marking the Chamber's 2nd anniversary.
The tournament's general sponsor was Beeline Kazakhstan. The tournament was initiated, alongside the Chamber, by H.E. André Carstens, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Kazakhstan, who also took an active part in the event as guest of honour and player.

Participants included diplomats from EU countries accredited in Kazakhstan, such as the Netherlands, Austria and Spain, and representatives of the business community among BeNeLux Chamber of Commerce members: Beeline Kazakhstan, represented by General Director Yevgeniy Nastradin, EGR, AMF Group, Soudal and BGDN.
Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Kazakh Invest, the AIFC and Astana Hub also took part in the tournament.

The tournament aimed to strengthen friendly relations through tennis diplomacy between European diplomatic circles and the Kazakh business community, with a view to establishing new partnership ties.

After the tournament, participants had the chance to mingle informally at a cocktail reception organised at the press centre of Kazakhstan's National Scientific and Technical Centre, receiving prizes for 1st and 2nd place from BeNeLux Chamber of Commerce President Mr Denis Van den Weghe. The reception was sponsored by Line Brew and Leonidas.

The tournament winners were BGDN General Director Mr Romain Kenet and Head of the Trade Section of the Embassy of Austria in Kazakhstan Mr Clemens Machal. Second place went to a pair from ERG: Mr Pavel Krutykh and Mr Akylbek Altynbekov. The event was held in a warm, friendly atmosphere, with participants expressing a wish to hold the tournament on an annual basis.