CIUTADELLA DE MENORCA/STARNBERG, March 30, 2026
The II Open Menorca ATP Challenger 100 experienced one of the most meaningful moments of its second edition on Tuesday with a special tribute ceremony honoring Manuel Orantes and Alex Corretja on the renovated Centre Court of Club Tenis Ciutadella, following the opening day of qualifying.
Organized by the tournament in collaboration with the club, the ceremony brought together institutional representatives and members of the tennis circuit in recognition of two of the most important figures in Spanish tennis history.
The tribute carried even greater significance because it coincided with three historic anniversaries in 2026: the 50th anniversary of Orantes’ victory at the 1976 Masters, the 25th anniversary of Corretja’s official appearance at Club Tenis Ciutadella, and the 50th anniversary of the Menorcan club itself. Together, these milestones reinforced the strong connection between the tournament, the club and two key generations of Spanish tennis.
The ceremony featured Adolfo Villafranca, Ahmed Abdel-Azim, Miguel Angel Plasencia and Toni Capó, alongside the two honorees.
During the event, Club Tenis Ciutadella unveiled plaques naming courts two and three after Orantes and Corretja respectively. The club also announced that both former players had been named honorary members. In addition, the Open Menorca organization presented commemorative trophies to Orantes, Corretja and the club itself, identical to those that will be awarded to the tournament champions on April 5.
The recognition highlighted the extraordinary career of Manuel Orantes, one of the most influential figures in Spanish tennis. Orantes won the US Open in 1975 after one of the most memorable comebacks in tennis history, reached the final of Roland Garros and became the first Spanish player to win the Masters in 1976. Throughout his career, he collected dozens of professional titles and was particularly successful on clay, where he recorded 569 victories.
Alongside him, Alex Corretja represented the next generation of Spanish tennis. The former world No. 2 reached his career peak in 1999, won the ATP Finals in 1998, finished runner-up at Roland Garros in 1998 and 2001, helped Spain win its first Davis Cup title in 2000, and earned an Olympic doubles medal in Sydney.
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“I am very happy to have lived and enjoyed tennis the way I did,” Orantes said. “It has also been a pleasure to see Alex succeed in tennis. He trained at the Club de la Salut, just as I did, and we shared the same coach, Pedro Mora.”
“When I walked onto the court, I felt a special emotion remembering the match I won here,” Corretja said.
The two former players also share a connection through Club Tennis de la Salut, which has long been twinned with Club Tenis Ciutadella, adding further symbolism to the tribute in Menorca.
Miguel Angel Plasencia recalled several anecdotes involving both players and highlighted the similarities between their five-set victories at the Masters. Toni Capó added: “It is an honor for the Open Menorca to pay tribute to two Spanish tennis figures of the stature of Manuel Orantes and Alex Corretja on the renovated centre court of the host club.”
Adolfo Villafranca also emphasized the importance of the occasion. “It is an honor to have a tournament like this Open in Menorca and to have brought together two great figures of tennis such as Orantes and Corretja to give them this deserved tribute on our island.”
The tribute ceremony formed part of the wider program of the Open Menorca ATP Challenger 100, which continues to establish itself on the international calendar. Beyond the competition itself, the tournament is strengthening its identity by linking today’s circuit with the rich history of the sport in a venue that has long been part of that story.
