Only three weeks away, the 10th Vale de Lobo Grand Champions promises to be every bit as special as previous editions of the Algarve tennis season highlight.
Both in celebration of reaching its 10-year milestone and to re-enforce the ATP Champions Tour ‘vintage’ values, the August 10 to 13 event organiser Pedro Frazao has announced that competitors have been asked to revert to the classic all-white dress code while white Wilson balls last used at Wimbledon in 1985 are also making a comeback.
It is hoped that the two innovations will add a feeling of the “good old times” to the popular summer tournament.
No less exciting is the line-up on court. Former British No1 Greg Rusedski, who returns to the Algarve to defend the title he won here last year, will have to battle current South African Airways rankings leader Thomas Enqvist in the CGD Group, which also features skilful French entertainer Henri Leconte and evergreen Portuguese veteran Nuno Marques if he is to reach the final.
The VDL Group other half of the draw looks to be even more competitive. Big serving Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic is the likely favourite to reach the title showdown but faces stiff competition from two ex-world No1s. Austrian clay court specialist Thomas Muster has shown that he is almost as combative on the harder surface, while Algarve debutant Yevgeny Kafelnikov did not top the ATP rankings in 1999 by accident and has kept himself in shape.
The second foursome is completed by British Davis Cup player Jeremy Bates, who should have too much on his plate here.
The four days of top class tennis at the Vale do Lobo Tennis Academy will be accompanied by plenty of off-court entertainment as well as a photographic exhibition charting the sport’s history in the region.
The Resident Group is proud to be sponsor of this event.
For more information and tickets please visit www.grandchampions.org.
