From 1945 to 1993, for almost 50 years, women were an integral part of the Kitzbühel tennis tournament. Big names – above all Billie Jean King, who triumphed in Kitzbühel in 1971 – left a lasting mark on the event. After a 33-year hiatus, this long tradition will now be continued in Kitzbühel next summer with a WTA 125 tournament. ‘We are delighted to be able to extend our tennis festival to two weeks. But of course, we also want to offer the women in Austria another stage,’ emphasises KTC tournament director Florian Zinnagl.
The tournament will be held from 13 to 19 July at the Kitzbühel Tennis Club. The women's finals will be held in parallel with the men's qualifying rounds for the Generali Open Kitzbühel (starting on 18 July): ‘Fans will be able to watch both the women's finals and the men's qualifying rounds for the ATP 250 tournament,’ say organisers Markus Bodner and Herbert Günther.
In addition to the organisers' long-cherished goal of re-establishing a high-class women's tournament in Kitzbühel, the event also aims to expand the Austrian tournament calendar in the women's sector. Accordingly, close coordination took place with the ITF tournament in Amstetten, which postponed its date by one week. This gives the players the attractive opportunity to compete in two high-ranking tournaments in Austria in quick succession – with minimal travel stress.
All information about Kitzbühel as a destination can be found at kitzbuehel.com
Image rights © KTC/Schennach
