The Mallorca Championships will kick off on Saturday, June 21, featuring top tennis players competing on the grass courts of Santa Ponça for valuable ATP ranking points as they prepare for Wimbledon. Tickets are available at mallorcachampionships.com. Although star player Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from the tournament, the lineup remains strong with prominent names.
Casper Ruud, who honed his skills at the Nadal Academy, has already secured 13 ATP singles titles, including the Madrid Open this year. However, he is still in search of victory at a major tournament. Ruud reached the finals of the French Open in both 2022 and 2023, and also made it to the US Open finals and ATP Finals in 2022. He is currently ranked 16th in the world.
Ben Shelton, positioned as the 10th in the ATP rankings, is considered a favorite for the title in Santa Ponça. This marks his third appearance at the Mallorca Championships, after reaching the quarterfinals last year and the second round the year before. He is anticipated to attract American tourists to the country club.
Italian veteran Fabio Fognini has received a wildcard entry. Although he has dropped out of the top 100 rankings, Fognini is known for his strengths in doubles but has struggled on grass, failing to win any titles on this surface.
Seventeen-year-old German talent Justin Engel is also a wildcard entrant, representing a new generation of players. Engel made history last year by becoming one of the youngest players to win an ATP match and advanced to the quarterfinals in Stuttgart, where he faced Félix Auger-Aliassime.
Auger-Aliassime himself is another notable name, having previously reached a career-high sixth in the ATP rankings. Notably, he was trained by Toni Nadal, the tournament’s sports director.
Kei Nishikori, battling injuries for years, is trying to make a comeback despite needing frequent breaks. His best years date back nearly a decade, with significant achievements including a US Open final appearance in 2015 and an Olympic bronze medal in 2016. He was recently forced to withdraw from the French Open due to injury and it remains uncertain if he’ll be fit for the grass courts.
Jaume Munar, Mallorca’s tennis ambassador since Rafael Nadal’s retirement, is looking to prove himself after close matches against Ruud earlier this year. He expressed confidence in his current form.
However, the tournament will miss some prominent players as several had to withdraw shortly before the start. Along with Kyrgios, Alejandro Tabilo, the previous year’s champion, will miss the event due to an abdominal muscle injury, and Gaël Monfils has also opted out.
This year’s Mallorca Championships promise exciting matches and the opportunity for emerging talents to showcase their skills on an international stage. The anticipation builds as players prepare to compete and offer their best ahead of Wimbledon.