Zug, Switzerland – From next season onwards, the Ladies Open will take place on clay courts in southern Switzerland. The second edition of this year's newly launched Swiss WTA women's tennis tournament will be held from 9 to 15 April 2018 at the tennis court of TC Lido Lugano. InfrontRingier Sports & Entertainment Switzerland is responsible for the entire organisation as well as for the worldwide marketing rights, national media rights and the exclusive hospitality area of the tennis tournament.
To offer players the most optimal conditions after their return from the popular US tournaments in Indian Wells and Key Biscayne, it was decided to switch from the indoor hall in Biel to outdoor clay. Due to the mild climate in Lugano, Ticino, it is possible to organise the WTA tournament as an open-air event.
Martin Blaser, Managing Director at InfrontRingier: "We were very satisfied with the first edition of the Ladies Open in Biel, however, after internal evaluation and feedback by players and the WTA, we decided that clay is the more suitable surface for our upcoming tournament and for the players. In TC Lido Lugano we have found a perfect partner - an experienced and very likeable tennis club, which can already host an outdoor tennis tournament in April due to the mild temperatures in Ticino."
Eugenio Brianti, President of TC Lido Lugano: "We are extremely proud of the fact that, following the WTA Swiss Open of 1981 — 1986, the ATP Challenger of 1999 — 2010 and the Fed Cup meeting against Sweden in 2011, we will once again be hosting an international tournament. We would like to thank InfrontRingier for the trust they have placed in us and look forward to a successful collaboration – the spectators can anticipate world-class tennis in what is perhaps Switzerland's most beautiful region."
Similar to the first edition in the spring of 2017, 32 players will again compete in singles and 16 pairs in doubles.
About InfrontRingier
InfrontRingier Sports & Entertainment Switzerland AG, based in Zug, Switzerland, is a 50/50 joint venture between the international sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media and the largest Swiss media group Ringier. It unifies the competencies and experiences of both mother companies and has developed into the leading sports marketing company in Switzerland. InfrontRingier supports organisers of sports events as well as top athletes as a marketing, consulting and service partner. The high-level national portfolio includes, besides others, the Raiffeisen Super League, the Swiss Ice Hockey Cup and the Tour de Suisse.
