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Mérida Open makes historic jump to WTA 500 status

The Yucatan tennis landscape is about to transform as the Mérida Open Akron advances to WTA 500 status, tournament director Gustavo Santoscoy García announced Thursday. The elevation from WTA 250 marks a significant milestone for Mexican tennis and particularly for the Yucatán region.

“This is great news for Mexican tennis and special in Yucatán,” said Gustavo Santoscoy García, tournament director, who received the news from WTA leadership earlier this week.

The tournament’s third edition will run from Feb. 26 to March 2 at the Yucatán Country Club, with a prize purse of US$1 million. This represents a substantial increase in prestige and competitive draw, as WTA 500 events award 500 ranking points to winners — double the points of its previous designation.

The tournament’s rapid ascension is remarkable, given its brief history. The inaugural 2023 edition saw Italian Camila Giorgi claim victory, followed by Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez in the most recent tournament held in late 2023.

WTA 500 events hold a crucial position in professional women’s tennis, sitting between the Grand Slams (2,000 points) and WTA 250 tournaments in the competitive hierarchy. The designation emerged from the WTA’s 2021 tournament restructuring, with prize money at these events now ranging from $500,000 to $1.7 million.

This development adds another chapter to the WTA’s 50-year history of advancing women’s professional tennis. Founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King and eight other pioneering players, the organization has grown from its modest beginnings to represent over 2,500 players from nearly 100 countries, competing for $146 million in total prize money across all events.

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