Brasil Open To Move To Sao Paulo

© Luciana SerraTarek Farahat, Procter & Gamble President Brazil and Luis Felipe Tavares, CEO Koch Tavares helped announce the news.

After 11 successful years in Costa do Sauipe, the Brasil Open will move next year to Sao Paulo, to be played at the Complexo Desportivo Constâncio Vaz Guimarães from 11-19 February, 2012.

The ATP World Tour 250 clay-court tournament will transition from outdoors to indoors due to regular wet weather in Sao Paulo in February. Ibirapuera Gymnasium will serve as the centre court, while matches will also be played at Mauro Pinheiro Gymnasium, which will serve as the No. 2 court. “Bringing the Brasil Open to Sao Paulo is an important initiative of the city, the world´s third largest city," said Geraldo Alckmin, the Governor of Sao Paulo. "The Brasil Open becomes one more of the already prestigious international events held in the city such as the Formula 1, Formula Indy and road running races. This is extremely important to the city of Sao Paulo, the state and the country."

Koch Tavares' initiative, in partnership with São Paulo´s State Government and City Hall, marks a new era for the event. When contested in Costa do Sauipe, the Brasil Open showcased some of the world´s top players, including home hero Gustavo Kuerten, 10-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, Nikolay Davydenko, Carlos Moya, Magnus Norman, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Nicolas Almagro and Thomaz Bellucci. "Costa do Sauipe played an important role in the devolvement of Brazilian tennis," said Luis Felipe Tavares, tournament director and Koch Tavares CEO.

"The infrastructure we build there will be used  for other events (tennis including) during the calendar year. At Costa do Sauipe we had four ATP World Tour No.1s playing (Kuerten, Ferrero, Moya, Nadal) and this tradition will remain at our event.

"Our expectation is that Brasil Open will grow even more with this relocation. Our partners, Gillette, State Govern and City Hall, give us the necessary support and confidence to believe that Brasil Open will remain to be a successful event in São Paulo."

Sao Paulo will also play host to the inaugural ATP Challenger Tour Finals from 16-20 November at Ibirapuera Gymnasium. The seven players who have performed best on the ATP Challenger Tour this year will qualify for the event, together with one wild card entrant, Brazilian No. 1 Thomaz Bellucci.