Monte Carlo's Future: A Women's Tennis Tournament on the Horizon?
The iconic Monte Carlo Masters, a prestigious tennis event, has been a staple in the tennis world for decades. But did you know that the tournament organizers are open to bringing a women's event back to the Principality? Yes, you heard that right! After more than four decades, the possibility of a women's tennis tournament in Monaco is on the table.
In an exclusive interview with L'Equipe, David Massey, the boss of the Monte Carlo Masters, revealed that the tournament is open to hosting a women's draw. Massey stated, 'A women's draw? We are open to it. It's still a project, perhaps in the future. We have not advanced anything.'
The history of women's tennis in Monte Carlo is quite fascinating. In the past, the Principality regularly hosted a WTA tournament, and there was a time when both men's and women's events were held simultaneously. The last time Monaco witnessed a women's tennis tournament was in 1982, where the legendary Romanian tennis star, Virginia Ruzici, emerged victorious in a 32-player draw.
So, what's the hold-up? Massey explains that bringing a women's tournament to Monte Carlo is a complex puzzle. He says, 'For that [simultaneous WTA and ATP tournament], we need more days. We remain open to it, but it is not the plan for now. It depends on the calendar. We need more weeks between Miami and our tournament, and adding more days. It will be a long-term project.'
Currently, the Monacan Masters already hosts three ATP Masters tournaments during the clay season, and the WTA 1000 clay events are held in Madrid and Rome. With the tournament's current format, featuring a 56-player draw, Monte Carlo stands out as one of the two remaining one-week Masters tournaments. Massey highlights the benefits of this format, stating, 'We are happy with the current format, with a 56-player draw. Paris and we are the only two Masters 1000 tournaments organized this way. It gives an extremely competitive first round, more than a Grand Slam or other tournaments where you can progress slowly.'
As the clay Masters tournament in the Principality is set to take place between April 5-12, the tennis world eagerly awaits the potential return of a women's event to Monte Carlo. Will this long-awaited project come to fruition? Only time will tell, but the tennis community is certainly intrigued by the prospect.
