The Umag tournament has long outgrown its original status as one of the events on the ATP Tour calendar. In its 36th edition, it reached new heights. Relive the moments that put nine unforgettable days in Umag in the global spotlight.

SHAQ
The rare combination of sport, entertainment and an array of complementary experiences on offer in July 2026 confirmed the tournament’s global reach, attracting attention from around the world.

While the tournament’s party scene regularly brings world-famous names to Umag, the town had never welcomed anyone quite so “big”.

And when it comes to Shaquille O’Neal, the 216 cm tall legendary former basketball player and global entertainment icon, quotation marks are hardly necessary.

The versatile and charismatic Shaq took to the stage at Dance Arena under one of his many aliases, DJ Diesel, entertaining a huge crowd with a combination of showmanship and a set packed with remixes of popular hits.

His son, Myles O’Neal, joined him on stage, giving everyone in attendance what they had come for: their own moment in the presence of a man whose aura is, quite deservedly, described as larger than life.

What seemed unimaginable became reality — Shaquille O’Neal in Umag 2026, in a spectacular fusion of the ATP and the NBA, is a moment that will go down in history!

COBOLLI
Just a few hours earlier, a magical Wednesday at Stella Maris had begun on the clay courts, with appearances by all the biggest tennis stars who had arrived for this year’s Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag.

One name stood out in particular: Flavio Cobolli, the Italian who is playing the best tennis of his career in 2026. Ranked seventh in the world at the time of writing, Cobolli arrived in Umag already established among the ATP Tour’s top 10.

The finalist at the most recent French Open did not have the best of outings at the Goran Ivanišević ATP Stadium, falling to Argentina’s Román Andrés Burruchaga.

Although the result was disappointing for both Cobolli and his many fans, he remained accessible to everyone in the days before and after the match, taking time to meet his supporters, especially the youngest ones. For a player whose meteoric rise is only just beginning, winning the Umag title remains an ambition. He has already competed at one of his favourite tournaments four times, and we firmly believe it will not be long before we see him back on court in Umag.

GLOBAL BRANDS ADD TO THE SPECTACLE

The tournament’s growing stature and global visibility were more evident than ever in the arrival of global brands as official partners. The impressive portfolio of international sponsors also reflects the increasingly close relationship between the ATP Tour and the Umag tournament, with several of its partners also serving as global partners of the ATP Tour.

The 2026 edition marked the beginning of a partnership between the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag and K-Swiss, the tournament’s new official apparel and footwear partner. The American sports brand outfitted the tournament’s staff, volunteers and organisational team.

Austrian brand waterdrop® joined as the official hydration partner. Its pop-up store quickly became one of the tournament’s most popular spots, alongside its innovative additions to the courts and the ATP Zone.

With summer and the tournament going hand in hand, the event was also proud to welcome Polaroid as its new sunglasses partner. The brand is best known for its polarised lenses, and its global ambassador is none other than Flavio Cobolli.

Alongside the new partnerships, successful collaborations continued with a number of other global brands. Subaru remained the tournament’s official vehicle partner, joined by Haier, Emirates and Technogym.

The tournament continued its partnerships with numerous Croatian and regional partners, proudly highlighting its Gold Sponsors: Studenac, Triglav, HEP, PSK, Podravka, Franck, Hrvatski Telekom, the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Croatia, the City of Umag, the Istrian County Tourist Board, the Croatian National Tourist Board, Hrvatski teniski klub Zagreb, Jamnica and Sport 360. We would also like to acknowledge all key sponsors whose contributions support the organisation and delivery of the tournament.