The ATP has confirmed that an ATP 250 event in Sofia, Bulgaria, has been added to 2023 ATP Tour calendar. The tournament will take place as a single-year licence, replacing the Tel Aviv Watergen Open, which was cancelled due to the outbreak of war in the region.
Following intense rounds of negotiations, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) has agreed to award Bulgaria with the rights to host the Sofia Open 2023 ATP 250 event with the qualifying rounds starting on Saturday, November 4 while the tournament finals will be held on Saturday, November 11. The main singles draw for the event will be contested at the Sofia Arena starting on November 7.
The Bulgarian Tennis Federation (BTF) team engaged in extensive day and night discussions with the ATP, relevant tennis organizations, and Bulgarian government officials to ultimately close the deal. The ATP agreed to some key adjustments in order for the Sofia Open 2023 to become a reality.
Due to a variety of schedule conflicts, the ATP agreed to delay the start of the main draw for the tournament by one day and also finish one day earlier than normal. The tight schedule will require the Sofia Arena to complete its elections-related commitments as rapidly as possible in order to transform the facility into a world-class international tennis center. The quick and seamless transition will be vital for the success of the tournament.
The BTF Tournament Committee has now taken on the role of planning, logistics, and implementing in merely weeks for a process that would typically require months of coordination. To that end, the BTF has assembled an expert team of professionals who have assumed responsibility for this monumental task.
The Sofia Open 2023 will bring to the Bulgarian capital city needed revenue and business opportunities in the hospitality, logistics, security, and media sectors, to name a few. More importantly, though, this prestigious event will provide Bulgarians of all ages the unique chance to witness international professional tennis up close as well as see rising Bulgarian tennis stars of the highest quality.
Stefan Tzvetkov, Bulgarian Tennis Federation President, said: “We’re excited to host ATP Tour tennis back in the historic city of Sofia again. It goes without saying that we wish the circumstances were different, and our thoughts remain with all those affected by the terrible conflict. Our appreciation goes to ATP, the Bulgarian Government, the Municipality, and our team. We look forward to working together with ATP to deliver a successful event for the players and the incredible fans of Bulgaria.”
The Sofia Open was first held in 2016 and counts players including Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev and Grigor Dimitrov among its past champions.
