From June 2nd to 8th, the city at the foot of Biokovo will once again become the center of world tennis and top entertainment. WTA Makarska Open hosted by Valamar announced
The final preparations for the famous WTA Makarska Open tennis tournament hosted by Valamar are underway. From June 2nd to 8th, the world's tennis elite and sports fans will once again gather on the tennis courts of the attractive Tennis Center, just a few meters from the Makarska beach. This will be the fourth edition of the tournament in Makarska, the tenth organized by Feliks Lukas and his team, and the 19th in Croatia.
As a reminder, the history of the WTA tournament in Croatia began in 1991 in Bol on Brač, where the titles were won by famous tennis players: Italian Sandra Cecchini (1991), Croatian representative Mirjana Lučić twice (1997 and 1998), American Corina Morariu (1999), Slovenian Tina Pisnik (2000), Swedish Asa Svensson (2002), Russian Vera Zvonareva (2003), Luxembourger Mandy Minella (2016), Serbian tennis player Aleksandra Krunić (2017), Slovenian Tamara Zidanšek also twice (2018 and 2019) and currently one of the best tennis players in the world, Italian Jasmine Paolini (2021). The tournament has gained additional importance by moving to Makarska, and in recent years the titles have been won by German Jule Niemeier (2022), Egyptian Mayar Sherif (2023) and American Katie Volynets (2024).
The final matches delight the audience year after year and confirm the high level of competition, and last year a record number of Croatian representatives were recorded. As many as seven of them played at the foot of Biokovo, which is the largest number of Croatian tennis players at a major tennis tournament.
"This WTA tournament has been a springboard for Croatian tennis players from the beginning, supporting them on their sporting journey," emphasizes WTA Makarska Open Director Feliks Lukas, adding that this year, in addition to top-notch tennis, visitors can expect a rich accompanying program with educational workshops, great concerts, and the now traditional Kids Day on Kačić Square in the city center.
"When we received the license ten years ago and thus continued the history of the WTA tournament in Croatia, our goal was to continuously grow and connect sports, tourism and entertainment. Obviously, this effort has been recognized, and the quality of our tournament is confirmed by the fact that some of the best tennis players in the world, such as Spain's Paula Badosa, Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia and Greece's Maria Sakkari, played in it. In addition, organizing the tournament in the pre-season is a great idea because during the tournament there is an increase in tourist arrivals. For example, on the day of the final of the first tournament in 2022, Makarska recorded an increase in tourist arrivals by almost 500 percent and overnight stays by more than 200 percent compared to the same day the previous year. As organizers, a positive impact on the local community and the promotion of Makarska as an attractive sports and tourist destination are extremely important to us," says Lukas.
The most beautiful invitation to visit Makarska
The WTA Makarska Open hosted by Valamar has become synonymous with the combination of sports, entertainment and tourism, providing an unforgettable experience for all participants and guests with the support of the partners the City of Makarska and Valamar Riviera.
"Valamar is the proud general partner of the WTA Makarska Open for the fourth year and, together with the City of Makarska, the host of this prestigious tournament that has further positioned Makarska as a desirable destination. We believe that this year's tournament will provide a top-notch sporting experience and further strengthen the offer, both for the guests of Makarska and for the local community," said Davor Brenko, Valamar's Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing.
Mayor of Makarska Zoran Paunović emphasizes that the WTA tournament is proof that Makarska knows, can and is moving forward.
"By bringing the WTA tournament to Makarska, we have shown that our city has the capacity to host top world events. Today, as we proudly welcome the new edition, it is clear that it was the right move – for sport, for tourism, and for our community. The WTA Makarska Open is a symbol of the direction Makarska is heading: ambitious, organized, and with faith in its own potential. This is a victory for vision, work, and partnership – and the best invitation for the world to come to Makarska," said Paunović.
The WTA tournament is also continuously supported by the Split-Dalmatia County, and County Prefect Blaženko Boban is a welcome guest at the Tennis Center.
"Split-Dalmatia County proudly supports sports events such as the WTA tournament in Makarska, which significantly contributes to the promotion of sports and the tourist recognition of our region. In addition, such events encourage the spirit of sports and a healthy lifestyle, continuing the tradition of our county, which is a hotbed of top athletes. We will continue to invest in sports infrastructure and programs to further encourage our residents to a healthy lifestyle and sports activity, and we will continue to support projects that contribute to the international affirmation of Dalmatia," emphasizes Blaženko Boban, County Prefect of Split-Dalmatia County.
Photo Bogdan Klarić (source WTA Makarska Open 2024)
Makarska, April 8, 2025.
