SANTA PONSA, November 30, 2015
Mallorca is one of the top holiday destinations for Germans, Brits as well as Scandinavians and the Spanish island will have one more sports attraction next year. The inaugural Mallorca Open are going to take place from 11 to 19 June 2016. The US-$ 250,000 WTA International grass court event will be staged by emotion management GmbH at a multi-purpose-built facility at the Santa Ponsa Tennis Club in Calvia. The ladies will find top-conditions in order to prepare for Wimbledon.
Garbine Murguruza has already announced her participation in Mallorca. “It is always something special and an incentive to play in front of your home crowd. I am really looking forward to playing here next year,” the 2015 Wimbledon runner-up and current world number 3 from Spain told.
Garbin Muguruza (photo: Paul Zimmer)
Emotion is an experienced sports and events promoter in Austria and Germany and currently manages the ATP World Tour 500 event in Vienna as well as the ATP World Tour 250 tournament in Stuttgart, including when the event has become a grass court tournament in Stuttgart beginning in 2015. The venue in Mallorca will feature five permanent natural grass courts and world class facilities, including a retail development and tennis academy. The construction and maintenance of the courts will be done in collaboration with The All England Lawn Tennis Club, which has alreday been a prime supporter in the Stuttgart project.
Santa Ponsa Tennis Club
“We are very excited about the great opportunity to join the WTA with a new tournament in Mallorca. We aim at presenting an entry list with Garbine Murguruza and more strong Spaniards. We also want to present a lot of good German players to offer an attractive programme to the residents on the island during the day but also in the evening hours,” told Edwin Weindorfer, CEO of emotion management.
“Due to the pleasant climate on the island, there will be matches taking place under floodlight. Having a grass tournament without a roof and artificial light will be unique in the world,” tournament director Peer Zebergs added. “The centre court will have a capacity for 3,500 spectators. Besides the grass courts, seven clay courts and three hard courts will be built. The club house will feature a pool area, an exclusive roof terrace, from where you can watch the matches as well,” Zebergs explained and added that an attractive programme off the courts will play a key role.
Mallorca Open with Peer Zebergs, Edwin Weindorfer, Toni Ferragut (President of Tennis Federation Balearic Islands), Toni Nadal, Garbine Muguruza and Alfonso Rodriguez (mayor of Calvia – from left) – photo: emotion
Mallorca resident Toni Nadal will be the tournament’s ambassador. “It is great that Mallorca will be part of the WTA Tour next year. The nice weather here will allow grass court matches without any rain interruptions, which is often the case at other tournaments ahead of Wimbledon,” he stated.
The licence is held by the Tennis International Management GmbH, based in Austria with Edwin Weindorfer at its head. “The contract is valid for the next five years until 2020. We will work on our new task with a lot of commitment,” he said.
The official website has also been launched: WTA Mallorca Open
