“It will be the first after 10 years, since the Estoril Open organised the two combined ATP and WTA competitions. We have already closed negotiations with the WTA and the tournament will take place simultaneously with the challenger 125, in the week of April 15, 2024”, announced Vasco Costa, president of the Portuguese Tennis Federation.

The last edition of the Estoril Open in Jamor took place in 2014 and, a decade later, the federative official believes it is time to bring the WTA back to Portugal and give a new impetus to national women's tennis.

“All this also has to do with the evolution of women's tennis. I think we are on the right track and starting to reap the rewards. Francisca [Jorge] not long ago could have won a 60,000-dollar ITF tournament in Oeiras [CETO], so this is also the natural", underlined Vasco Costa.

In addition to remembering that there are not many 125, ATP and WTA events at the same time, the president of the Portuguese Tennis Federation leaves the door open to a possible “upgrade of the women's tournament in the future”.

After a $80,000 tournament in 2022, $60,000 at Clube Escola de Ténis de Oeiras [CETO] and $100,000 this year at Jamor, Francisca Jorge, the national number one, considers it a good opportunity for Portuguese players to evolve.

“It's a pretty good bet because we're starting to grow as players, Portuguese women's tennis is rising in level and I think these tournaments bring good players so that we can feel what it's like to be on top, at the top. We've already had the opportunity to play in some big tournaments, but the WTA gives more points, more prestige and it's a very good opportunity”, defended the tennis player from Guimarães.