Cipolletti Debuts on the International Tennis Stage
Cipolletti hosts an international women’s tennis tournament starting this Sunday as La Chacra opens its facilities for a W15 event offering WTA ranking points and a $15,000 prize pool, according to regional reporting. The competition kicks off with qualifying matches on Sunday and Monday, leading into the main draw on Tuesday and the tournament final on Saturday, with free admission for spectators throughout the week.
La Chacra Prepares Five Hard Courts for Regional Debut
The sports complex features five hard courts and one clay court, a layout that proved decisive in securing the international tournament. Sebastián Carro, coach and responsible for the La Chacra project, explained that the club aimed to elevate the competitive standard of the venue. «We wanted to make that leap to holding an international-level tournament,» Carro said of the decision. The hard-court surface also establishes a direct competitive link with another W15 tournament taking place this week in Trelew, Chubut province.
Athletes Travel from Trelew to Cipolletti
The geographical proximity between Trelew and Cipolletti allows athletes to contest back-to-back hard-court events without undertaking extensive long-distance travel. Several participants are making the direct transition from the Chubut indoor hard-court tournament to the venue. Among them are Sofía Madrid Rocca and Rosario Jurado, who competed in Trelew after receiving main-draw invitations. Madrid Rocca, a 22-year-old from Neuquén, won her opening match to secure her first-ever WTA world ranking, while 14-year-old Jurado from General Roca suffered a defeat in her debut.
Global Field Competes in Qualifying Rounds
With 18 players already confirmed directly for the main draw representing Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico, remaining spots will be filled through the qualifying rounds. The qualification tournament features competitors from India, Paraguay, the United States, and Haití. Jurado and Madrid Rocca will both enter the qualifying draw in Cipolletti to battle for main-draw berths. For Jurado, a left-hander with national experience and international representation in South American competitions and a COSAT event on grass in Brazil earlier this year, it marks her second appearance in a qualifying event of this category.
Organizers Target Permanent Calendar Fixture
Organizers aim to establish the Cipolletti tournament as a recurring event in the coming years, providing a reliable springboard for international women’s tennis in Patagonia. Carro described the inaugural event as the initial step toward wider recognition. «It is the tip of the iceberg so that it gets put on the map,» Carro stated regarding the region’s integration into the global circuit. Matches run through Saturday at the La Chacra complex, with daily play open to the public at no charge.
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