BARCELONA: The ATP Challenger Tour will return to the city of Mallorca in Spain for the first time in 21 years as World No.1 tennis player, Rafael Nadal’s academy is all set to play hosts to the event which will take place from August 26 to September 2. The tournament will be called inaugural Rafa Nadal Open Banc Sabadell and will be a $50,300 hard court event.
Nadal’s academy, which was founded in 2016, is home to 26 regulation tennis courts, both clay and hard, indoor and outdoor.
The tournament would move to the ATP World Tour level the following year, featuring former stars, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Gustavo Kuerten and Marat Safin among its champions.
Ferrero, who also hails from Spain, has his academy as well which hosted the ATP Challenger Tour three months ago in Alicante as the ‘Ferrero Challenger Open’.
“The tournament was born with the objective to maintain a firm and dedicated commitment to the promotion and development of tennis,” Rafa Nadal Academy said in an official statement.
“It will be an opportunity for fans to enjoy the quality and talent of some of the best players in the world in a great environment.”
Co-incidentally, the event coincides with the 15th anniversary of Nadal’s two ATP Challenger Tour titles as he had lifted a pair of trophies in 2003, in Segovia, Spain and Barletta, Italy.
The tournament will feature night sessions from the quarter-finals as well as free admission for spectators.
