Mayor Carola Schouten hears her own 'foot fault’

It was this year’s big question, and best-kept secret during the ABN AMRO Open: 'Who’s calling the shots?’ The voice of Rotterdam’s mayor, Carola Schouten, was heard from the very first to the very last point at Rotterdam Ahoy. "I found it a great honour to be asked to do this,” said Carola Schouten. For several years now, the ABN AMRO Open has used Electronic Line Calling. This means that the Hawk-Eye system has replaced the line judges, and all calls are made by computer.

During the tournament, there was a unique twist on the theme: 'Who’s calling the shots?’ A month before the ABN AMRO Open, recordings were made at Rotterdam City Hall, in between council meetings. Carola Schouten found it a little challenging to deliver everything loud and clear. She was more used to speaking calmly into the microphone during debates in the House of Representatives, but this time the Brabant-born mayor regularly had to raise her voice. Carola Schouten sat courtside during the tournament as she heard her own voice call out a foot fault, which did make her chuckle on occasion.