When at the end of last year, the
ATP
announced that the three events that will increase from 250 to 500 in 2025 will be Munich, Doha and Dallas, it put an end to the dream of the
Argentina Open
, which had been excited about the
“upgrade”
.
The news hurt national tennis.
Diego Schwartzman
even described the decision as "terrible."
But beyond the disappointment, the organizers opted to continue working to improve the conditions of the event - today, in the minor category - and to be prepared if the opportunity arises again in the future.
The 2024 edition of the tournament, which ended with the consecration of
Facundo Díaz Acosta
, was played in a renovated
Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis
, with a field of big names - three Grand Slam champions, six top 30 and nine of the best 50 in the ranking - and the people frame that is a trademark of events held in the country.
And in the Palermo club, the general comment was that the Buenos Aires ATP has everything necessary to move up the category.
"Last year, the truth is, I didn't see it for a 500, but this year I do," said
Carlos Alcaraz
, world number two, champion in 2023 and top favorite on this occasion.
"The facilities have improved a lot. The courts are very good. And the organization is very good. In addition, people are very involved in tennis, they get very involved and you can feel that. If this tournament becomes a 500 I wouldn't be surprised" .
"If Alcaraz, who is number two in the world, says it... Who better to ask for it to be 500. This year the tournament improved the infrastructure a lot. In addition, it is an event with a history of many years to which many great players have come "He deserves it," commented
Federico Coria
, in an opinion shared by all his compatriots.
"Last year, to be honest, I didn't see it as a 500, but this year I did," said Alcaraz.
Photo Emmanuel Fernández-CLARIN
The transformation that the players praised was a work in which
Tennium
, the company that owns the competition, which also organizes those in
Antwerp
,
Hamburg
and
Barcelona
, invested one million dollars.
Most of it was spent tearing down the club's old locker rooms and rebuilding them, leaving the structure ready for a possible expansion to a second floor in the future.
This renovation was demanded by the ATP due to the “dire” state of the facilities and received the approval of that association chaired by
Andrea Gaudenzi
.
Although it was not a specific requirement within the framework of the fight for promotion.
In addition, the players' dining room and gym and the VIP area were enlarged;
the public bathrooms and television booth in the main stadium were completed;
and the entire perimeter concrete floor around that area was redone.
"I agree with Alcaraz, there was a big change compared to last year," said
Cameron Norrie
, 23rd in the ranking.
"And the people... I was watching the match between Jarry and Wawrinka and the crowd was incredible. The courts are very good. The tournament is great and so is the city. It could definitely be an ATP 500."
Thank you Argentina 🇦🇷🙏🏻🫶🏻🎾🧡#buenosaires #argentina #fight #match #backtowork #trusttheprocess
📸 @sbermatov pic.twitter.com/knXK5dHPxV
— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) February 15, 2024
Stan Wawrinka
, winner of three Grand Slams, was one of the people's favorites and received enormous support in the two matches he played, even in the first, in which he faced
Pedro Cachin
from Córdoba .
"The fans are some of the best in the world. People here enjoy the sport in a special way. It is a great tournament. I have never heard a player complaining about anything. We feel welcome. Everything is impeccable," said the Swiss.
And Stan did not get to play with the stadium full, because in the first days the stands were half empty.
He was not surprised by the high ticket prices, which generated a lot of criticism.
Likewise, on Thursday and Friday there were few empty seats.
And the semis and final were played with a packed venue and 5,862 people.
In total, during the event the BALTC received 58,898 spectators.
The renovated Argentina Open 2024 player area at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis.
Photo Press Argentina Open
In a conversation with
Clarín
,
Martín Jaite
, tournament director, acknowledged that there was a "really strong" increase and said he understood people's anger.
"But we were behind on prices and all our costs also went up a lot," he clarified.
Tickets for the final between Díaz Acosta and the Chilean Jarry, for example, cost between 52 thousand and 275 thousand pesos (62 and 328 dollars).
Too much for the pockets of Argentines, hard hit by the economic crisis, but not excessive for an international event of this level.
To compare, in the
ATP 500 in Rio
, which is played this week with a draw very similar to that of the Buenos Aires tournament (Alcaraz and Norrie are also the top favorites), tickets for the final start at $135 and $151.
The success of this edition of the Argentina Open renewed the hope of a recategorization.
With the financial commitment guaranteed by Tennium, the organization aims to continue improving the property to have everything ready if the possibility opens up once again.
#AlcarazManía 🥳 pic.twitter.com/QunbA19qmX
— IEB+ Argentina Open (@ArgentinaOpen) February 15, 2024
What does the ATP require for a 500 in terms of infrastructure?
Basically, three fields to play matches and four for training (three of which must be at the home club).
A main stadium with capacity for 7 thousand spectators - with the extension of a tubular grandstand, in 2024 it did not reach 6 thousand - and a field two for a thousand, both with artificial lighting (they already have it).
With a contract with the BALTC until 2033 just signed, it is a challenge for the tournament to find a way to meet the capacity requirements on the club grounds.
At Tennium, too, they know that when push comes to shove, being prepared will not assure them anything.
The ATP opened the process for last year's
upgrade
with the idea of reducing the number of 250 tournaments, freeing up weeks in the calendar and being able to boost the 500 and the Masters 1000. And it promoted the idea of a "merger" so that two 250 to join together in a 500. Tennium had begun talks to associate with
Newport
and thus fight for promotion.
But at the last minute,
Doha
presented the American tournament with an offer that the Spain-based company could not match.
His first ATP title.
In his home city.
🥹
The moment wild card @Facudiazacosta capped off the PERFECT week in Buenos Aires!@ArgentinaOpen pic.twitter.com/Ml6cfMjVF4
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 18, 2024
"Money did everything. Today the Arab world has a wallet with which you cannot compete," said Jaite when consulted by Clarín about what they had lacked to be elected.
And he added: "We got down, but we didn't say
'Uh, that's it'
. For us the 500 is not an obsession, it is a goal. We have to continue working to improve the tournament we have, so when another opportunity comes, they can choose us ".
With the commitment of the organization, the support of the fans and the support of the players, at the Argentina Open everyone trusts that promotion will come.
Horacio Zeballos
already said it
, after losing the doubles final with Marcel Granollers.
"I'm not going to retire until this is an ATP 500, so we'll see you next year."