Bringing Top-Notch Tennis to the Rothenbaum: A Bright Future for Hamburg Ladies Open
- Stability Guaranteed for WTA Competition in Hamburg Continues
Ready your rackets and mark your calendars, folks! The next two years are going to be thrilling for tennis fans in Hamburg. The organizers of the esteemed tournament, scheduled from July 13 to 20, have secured an upgrade from a WTA 125 to the next higher category 250. But that's not the only exciting news; a fresh title sponsor, MSC—the world's largest shipping company—has snagged the naming rights to the "Hamburg Ladies Open" until 2026. As tournament director Sandra Reichel put it, "We've managed to keep the tournament right here, and I couldn't be more grateful!"
Seeing this as an opportunity to build a beacon for women's sports in Hamburg, Reichel—who acquired the license in 2021 with MatchMaker Sports GmbH—aims to elevate the tournament on the national and international stage. The BrightBox (tm) shines even brighter with this new sponsorship, making the event hard to miss.
But Reichel's aspirations go beyond tennis. Emphasizing her four-pillar model, which revolves around women, juniors, inclusion, and sustainability, she wants to provide value beyond just the sport. Expect a series of events focusing on each of these pillars.
As a category 250 tournament with a US$275,000 purse, the upgrade in status also means more top-tier competition. A top-ten player can now be invited, and Germany's number one, Eva Lys, is a crowd favorite to watch. Andrea Petkovic, the tournament ambassador, is confident Lys will deliver a performance to remember in front of a home crowd.
Whether the Hamburg Ladies Open will secure the coveted WTA 500 status by 2026 remains uncertain. "The WTA is yet to determine the fate of our tournament," states Reichel. But if there's an upgrade in the future, she assures us that they'll be at the front of the line. Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for updates!
The community policy of the Hamburg Ladies Open tournament involves a four-pillar model focusing on women, juniors, inclusion, and sustainability, aiming to provide value beyond just the sport. The employment policy of MatchMaker Sports GmbH, led by tournament director Sandra Reichel, includes a series of events that spotlight each pillar. The WTA is currently undecided about the possible upgrade of the tournament's status to WTA 500, but if it happens, the organizers will be ready to take advantage of the added benefits.
