WTA Makarska Open: 22 players in Top 100 confirmed

Arantxa Rus (Photo: Vladimir Dugandžić, arhiva WTA Makarska Open hosted by Valamar)

MAKARSKA, 5 May 2022 – 22 players from the Top 100 will be playing in the WTA Makarska Open in what is the strongest tournament yet. 

Defending champion Jasmine Paolini, last year’s finalist and top-ranked Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus, and Kristina Mladenović from France, the eight-time Grand Slam winner, former world number one in the doubles rankings from 2019 and top 10 player from 2017, will play at Valamar’s tennis courts in Makarska.

Clara Burel from France will also be there, who at the age of 19, reached the third round of Roland Garros in 2020. 

Marta Kostyuk, the young Ukrainian star managed by Ivan Ljubičić, Anna Bondar, the best Hungarian tennis player, Spaniard Nuria Parrizas Diaz, one of the best clay court players, will also play in Makarska.

Jasmine Paolini (Photo: Vladimir Dugandžić, arhiva WTA Makarska Open hosted by Valamar)

Martina Trevisan and Lucia Bronzetti will arrive from Italy, and Italian and world tennis legend Sara Errani is on the waiting list. Slovakia’s Kristina Kucova and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, and the best Swedish tennis player Rebecca Peterson have also been confirmed.

Egypt’s best player Mayar Sherif and the best ranked Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, a finalist in the doubles at this year’s Australian Open, joins the list. Quinwen Zheng, a young nineteen-year-old hope and currently the second most successful player in China will also play. 

Croatian-American Bernarda Pera is also expected to play, and Croatian tennis players Antonija Ružić and Tena Lukas have been invited to play, while Makarska’s own Marijana Dražić will also play in doubles.

Tena Lukas (Photo: Vladimir Dugandžić, arhiva WTA Makarska Open hosted by Valamar)

At the WTA Makarska Open hosted by Valamar, additional sports surprises are possible because the two best Serbian tennis players are on the waiting list – the winner from 2017.

Aleksandra Krunić and Olga Danilović are also on the waiting list for the the WTA Makarska Open hosted by Valamar as are Danka Kovinić and Nadia Podoroska. 

“Our goal is to grow from year to year. So we decided that this year the WTA tournament will be held in Makarska in partnership with the City and Valamar and with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and Split-Dalmatia County, whom I thank once again for their support. For the tournament, it is a step forward in terms of organisation and logistics. Obviously, this effort was recognised, which can be seen in the applications of tennis players, because this year we have as many as 22 tennis players from the top 100, while last year we had 13. The final list could still vary as some performances depend on the outcome at Roland Garros,” said Felix Lukas, tournament director.

Feliks Lukas (Photo: Vladimir Dugandžić, arhiva WTA Makarska Open hosted by Valamar)

Lukas added that in addition to a strong sports part, tennis fans, locals and visitors can expect an extremely rich entertainment program with top concerts and theatre performances and numerous professional panel discussions and trainings.

The WTA Makarska Open will be played from 30 May – 5 June.