Three and a half decades of tennis, nine winners who later became world number one – this year Umag continues its unique sports story, again!
Still five months until the start of the new edition of the only Croatian ATP tournament, but tennis fans can already look forward to what awaits them in Umag! The 35th anniversary edition of the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag will feature the defending champion Francisco Cerundolo from Argentina, while the legendary Swiss Stan Wawrinka has also confirmed his return to Stella Maris. These two are the first on the list of players who will play in Umag this season, and over the coming days the list will be expanded with new attractive names.
"We are always happy to welcome back a defending champion. Francisco won us over last year, not only with his world-class tennis, but also with his attitude towards the fans and the tournament. It was a great pleasure to work with him and his team, and I am happy that we will have the same experience this year. Furthermore, with him in the draw, we are getting one of the best clay court players in the world, which is an additional reason for being happy," said tournament director Tomislav Poljak, and he added: "When it comes to Stan Wawrinka, there are no words to describe how much his coming back means. Here he won his first title in a career rich in trophies, and two years ago he was close to repeating that success. Last year he had to cancel his appearance at the last minute, but I believe that we will see the three-time Grand Slam winner again in his true form,".
Umag – springboard for champions
Every year, top class world tennis players play in the tournament, so the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag can boast an exceptionally valuable list of players who have played here since 1990, the year of the tournament's premiere edition. Among others, as many as nine tennis players who can boast of having been at the top of the ATP singles rankings at some point in their careers, have played in Stella Maris. These are Thomas Muster, Rafael Nadal, Marcelo Rios, Carlos Moya, Gustavo Kuerten, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Novak Đoković, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Umag – place of the first great victories
The Umag tournament has been a turning point for many tennis players throughout history, giving them the opportunity to win their first ATP title and to start brilliant careers. Among them are some of the greatest names in world tennis – Rafael Nadal, who won in the doubles competition when he was only 17 years old, then Carlos Alcaraz, Stan Wawrinka, Fabio Fognini, Carlos Moya, Andrey Rublev and many others. Their triumphs in Umag were not only the first step on the ATP scene, but also marked the beginning of careers that have later written the past, and also the present, history of tennis.
"For 35 years, the ATP tournament in Umag has been a symbol of sport, passion and world-class tennis, and Plava Laguna proudly supports this prestigious event. Through continuous investments in infrastructure, in the sporting, gastronomic and entertainment content, we confirm our commitment to the development of the tournament, recognizing its immense significance, both for the local community and for the global sports scene. This anniversary is not only a confirmation of a rich tradition, but also an incentive for future successes and further growth of the tournament, which is the longest-running and most successful sports event in Croatia", stressed Dragan Pujas, President of the Organizing Committee of the tournament and President of the Board of Plava Laguna.
The tournament will take place from July 20th to 26th, which means that this year too the main tournament will start on Sunday, and the final is scheduled for Saturday. Tickets are already on sale, and can be purchased online at the official webshop.
Don't miss the opportunity to be part of the 35th edition of the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag - a tournament that has always been more than just tennis!
