Tennis Europe Press Release, January 15, 2021
An exciting new event will make its debut on the Tennis Europe Junior Tour calendar in 2021, when the inaugural 12 & Under Festival is held at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor, Spain. Designed to celebrate and reward the best‐performing players of the Tennis Europe Junior Tour’s youngest age category, the 12 & Under Festival will be an invitational event for national squads of European boys and girls.
The 32‐player draws will consist of champions from Category 1 tournaments throughout the season and players will also pair up for a doubles competition. The unique format of the singles event will see the winners of eight round robin groups advance to the quarterfinals, ensuring optimal match play for all participants.
The event will take place from 15th – 20th November on the hard courts of the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar. Situated in the Mallorcan home town of the 20‐time Grand Slam champion and former Tennis Europe Junior Masters winner, the Academy has hosted many high‐calibre international events, including ATP Challenger and ITF World Tennis Tour tournaments.
Tennis Europe President Ivo Kaderka said, “This event is incredibly special for us, and is sure to be a highlight of the season for some of our most promising 12 & Under players. I would like to thank the Spanish Tennis Federation and the Rafa Nadal Academy for their cooperation, and we look forward to working together to provide these young talents with a unique tournament experience at an inspirational venue.”
Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar Director Toni Nadal spoke of his excitement at hosting this tournament in Manacor; “At the Academy we’re really thrilled to host this event and to be able to enjoy the talent of the best players in the world in the 12 & Under category. We are sure that this synergy with Tennis Europe will be a huge success and that this tournament will be world class. In addition, these players will be able to enjoy a unique experience thanks to the new facilities we’ll be opening at the Academy in 2021, including new indoor and outdoor courts and a medical services, physiotherapy, nutrition and fitness building”.
