Hopman Cup 2023 to Return in Nice This July
The Hopman Cup, an official mixed-team competition, is set to make a comeback from the 19th to the 23rd of July at the Nice Lawn Tennis Club, as announced by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
The organizing responsibilities for the event over the next five years have been entrusted to Tennium, an international sports agency headquartered in Barcelona with representatives in Argentina, Belgium, and the United States. Tennium, led by Belgian Kristoff Puelinckx and former French tennis player Sebastien Grosjean, add the Hopman Cup to its list of prestigious tournaments, including the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, the Argentina Open, The European Open, and the Hamburg European Open.
“We would like to thank the International Tennis Federation for entrusting Tennium to bring the Hopman Cup back to the international tennis circuit. We look forward to building out this great event by leveraging our extensive experience with tournaments, players, and fans worldwide. We will work closely with ITF to ensure this event continues to be a milestone on the tennis calendar, and we believe that Nice is the perfect stage for it,” expressed Kristoff Peulinckx.
According to a five-year agreement between the ITF and Tennium, the historical Nice Lawn Tennis Club will host the international mixed-team event from 2023 to 2027. Mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi expressed his delight, stating, “This event confirms once again that Nice is a privileged destination for the biggest international sporting events. Tennis is a major sport in Nice, a discipline with a strong history, a club over a hundred years old, and great players who have marked French tennis.”
Having last taken place in 2019, the Hopman Cup will showcase renowned tennis legends, including Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic, Steffi Graf, John McEnroe, Martina Hingis, Boris Becker, Li Na, and Andy Murray. Each team at the Hopman Cup 2023 will comprise one male and one female player, engaging in ties between nations consisting of men’s singles, women’s singles, and mixed doubles matches. The 2023 and 2024 editions will feature six teams, with the competition expanding to eight teams from 2025 onwards. France, as the host, will field a team each year.
David Haggerty, ITF President, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We are thrilled that the Hopman Cup, one of the highlights of the tennis season, will return in 2023 and are already looking forward to visiting the beautiful city of Nice next July. As a unique mixed-team event, the Hopman Cup has always enjoyed a special place in the hearts of tennis fans, and I am sure that spectators in Nice will relish the chance to see some of the world’s top men and women players on the same court. I would like to thank our event partners, Tennium, for helping us reintroduce the Hopman Cup to the tennis calendar, and we look forward to working together over the coming months and years.”
The Director of Competition for the Hopman Cup, Mr. Weiss, said about the selection process for the participating teams and the criteria involved in choosing the male and female players:
“We have selected both young tennis stars and more mature players. It’s a fine combination of enthusiasm and experience. ITF specifications require us to have six players in the top 20, including four ranked in the top 10, over the last 12 months. In the end, we succeeded in building an exceptional line-up, with the youngest-ever world No. 1, Carlos Alcaraz, and another world tennis star: Holger Rune, ranked world No. 6. Even if it’s not always easy to welcome top-level players because they’re so much in demand.”
Mr. Weiss said about his expectations for the level of competition and the overall atmosphere of the tournament: “The Hopman Cup is a legendary competition, and all the players who took part in it have exceptional memories of it. In the international circuit, there are very few opportunities to play mixed. You only have to look back at the smiles and joy of the last winners, with the Swiss team of Belinda Bencic and Roger Federer, to understand the power of this event. The stars are there to enjoy themselves, but also to give pleasure to the fans. Last but not least, coming to Nice in July, right in the middle of the summer vacation, with all the enthusiasm and festive atmosphere that the Côte d’Azur is known for at this time of year, is a real plus. A total of 20,000 spectators are expected.” – Mr. Weiss.
In conclusion, the Hopman Cup 2023 is set to make a highly-anticipated return to the international tennis circuit in Nice this July.
With a star-studded lineup of renowned tennis legends and a unique mixed-team format, the Hopman Cup promises exciting matches and a delightful experience for both players and fans. Tennis enthusiasts and spectators can look forward to witnessing thrilling matches and enjoying the festive ambiance of the Côte d’Azur during this remarkable event.