Marbella will again become the centre of world women’s tennis with the staging of the Andalucía Tennis Experience 2011 in April. After last year’s second edition of the Tournament which served to consolidate this ambitious project, some of the biggest names in the game are set to take part in this year’s third edition of the event on the clay courts at the Club de Tenis Puente Romano in Marbella. More than 20,000 fans attended the Tournament last year, with a global TV audience of 18,000,000 and in its two years it has played host to some fantastic Spanish and international tennis stars, as it will again this year. This morning’s presentation of the event in Malaga, which was attended by the Consejero de Turismo, Comercio y Deporte, Luciano Alonso, the Mayoress of Marbella, Ángeles Muñoz and Tournament Director Conchita Martinez saw the announcement of a number of the top names who will be playing in Marbella this year.
With more participants to be announced as the Tournament dates approach, the first three big names who will be playing were revealed this morning and their presence ensures some spectacular tennis of the highest quality. The Andalucia Tennis Experience 2011 will welcome the Serbian ex-world number one Ana Ivanovic (19), who is one of the players on the circuit who attracts most media coverage , not only for her game, but also for her looks. The Serbian returns to the Tournament after last year’s sensational debut, as does Belorussia’s Victoria Azarenka (9), who is in the Top Ten of the game and is certain to be one of the favourites. Spain’s Carla Suárez (66) also returns to Marbella, looking to go one better than last year and finally take the title that has just escaped her for the last two years.
During the Tournament presentation, Mr Alonso encouraged fans to come along and enjoy the Tournament and not lose the chance to see such a high quality event: “this city demands quality and this is the only Tournament which is held independently of a men’s event. The Andalucía Tennis Experience is a great tournament, exclusively for the women’s game and we hope that for that reason the fans come along and fill the stands”.
Conchita Martinez insisted that although it was still a relatively young tournament: “we continue to aim to bring the best women’s tennis to Marbella and that’s why once again, the best players will be here”.
The II Wheelchair Tennis Open Andalucía Tennis Experience was also presented. This event is in the National Women’s Master category and will bring together the best eight wheelchair players in Spain. According to the player Elena Jacinto, the Open is a great opportunity for wheelchair players “thank you for giving us the possibility of enjoying this experience and for all the support you have shown us”, she told the organisers.
Competition Format
The Andalucía Tennis Experience belongs to the International Series of the WTA and carries prize money of $220.000. The Tournament is held at the Club de Tenis Puente Romano and has four clay courts including the Centre Court with a capacity of 2,500. The Tournament has 32 players, 24 of whom enter directly into the competition, 4 come through the Tournament qualifiers (which are held on the first weekend of the Tournament) and 4 more are given wild card invitations. There are also 32 players -16 pairings –in the doubles event.
World media repercussion
The third edition of the Andalucía Tennis Experience again puts Andalucia in the spotlight, with TV audiences tuning in throughout the world. In its first edition the Tournament pulled in more than 16.000.000 viewers over more than 300 hours of coverage and although the total number of hours broadcast was similar last year, total global audiences reached 18.000.000 via live coverage, highlight packages and news clips. Both editions were broadcast in Spain, France, South Africa, Russia, Poland, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Albania and Rumania, as well as in a number of Asian and Middle East countries.
ia Tennis in Marbella 
