Ladies First! Hamburg European Open in the Stadtpark
Ladies First! Hamburg European Open in the Stadtpark
New home for the Hamburg European Open: The women's tennis pros on the WTA Tour will be serving in Hamburg's Stadtpark in July 2024, providing them with the ideal preparation for the Olympic Games in Paris. In the heart of the city in Hamburg's green leisure oasis on the grounds of the THC von Horn und Hamm, a center court with a charming boutique character is being built - not far from the planetarium, Stadtparksee lake and open-air stage. “Our message is that women's tennis belongs in Hamburg and I am very happy that we have found this ingenious solution. The Stadtpark is a dream location! We are surrounded by greenery and will be able to experience the stars up close like at hardly any other tournament in the world. I'm looking forward to an incredibly familiar atmosphere,” says Tournament Director Sandra Reichel.
The 250 WTA tournament, which has the motto “Ladies first!”, will take place in the two-week window between Wimbledon and the Olympic Games; the exact date will be announced shortly. Tournament ambassador Andrea Petkovic, herself an Olympic participant in Rio 2016, says: “I see our tournament as the perfect preparation for the Olympics: we play on clay, just like in Paris, the players can relax here in a truly idyllic setting and the distances to Paris are short.”
The 2021 Rothenbaum finalist and former world number nine also emphasizes: “Hamburg is an absolute women's tennis stronghold, we currently have four Hamburg women in the top 200 with Tamara Korpatsch, Eva Lys, last year's finalist Noma Noha Akugue and Ella Seidel. A city that has four world-class players is probably unique in the world! That's why it was clear that we wanted to organize a women's tournament for these players, but also for all Hamburg tennis fans, in 2024!”
Andy Grote: The tournament will attract a top-class field of female players to Hamburg
Hamburg's sports senator Andy Grote is also looking forward to this highlight in the “Active City”: “After the fantastic success of our local heroes this year with Noma Noha Akugue's terrific run to the final, I'm looking forward to seeing them again at the Hamburg European Open for women next summer. The tournament will attract a high-caliber, exciting field of players to Hamburg in 2024, shortly before the Olympic Games in Paris, and will guarantee Hamburg's residents thrilling matches. I am sure that our top Hamburg players Eva Lys, Noma Noha Akugue, Ella Seidel and Tamara Korpatsch will continue their impressive development of recent times here with the Hamburg crowd behind them. I would like to thank Sandra Reichel for giving women's tennis the stage it deserves in the future with this tournament!”
The temporary center court will offer space for around 2,000 visitors and thus have an exclusive flair. That's why it's important to secure a ticket in good time. Subscribe to our newsletter HERE to be informed about the start of pre-sales. The first vouchers can already be booked via the ticket store on the tournament website. As soon as the exact date has been set, the official advance ticket sales will begin.
The Hamburg European Open is the second oldest WTA tournament in the world
The history of the Hamburg women's professional tennis tournament dates back to 1896, making it the second-oldest WTA tournament in the world after the Masters event in Canada (1892). In 2021, tournament director Sandra Reichel's MatchMaker Sports GmbH brought the women's tournament back to Hamburg's Rothenbaum with a new license after a 19-year absence. In 2021, the tournament took place the week before the men's tournament, while in 2022 and 2023 the event was held as a “combined event” together with the men.
The Horn and Hamm Tennis and Hockey Club, founded in 1912, is one of the great traditional clubs in Hamburg. The club's flagship for many years has been the women's tennis team, which succeeded in returning to the 2nd Bundesliga in the summer. The facilities of the neighboring SV St. Georg are also used. The approximately 150-hectare city park in Hamburg-Winterhude is also known as Hamburg's “green lung”. This classic among Hamburg's local recreation areas will celebrate its 110th anniversary in 2024.
