The ATP Board of Directors approved a request to move the tournament from Ho Chi Minh to Mumbai at a recent meeting in Miami.
Mumbai, India’s most populated city (population 12 million) and cultural capital – the home of Bollywood - will stage the hard court outdoor tournament between September 25 and October 1 at the Mumbai Cricket Club.
The Cricket Club will be renovated to include a new 3,500-seat Centre Court plus two match courts and two practice courts.
Indian doubles champion Mahesh Bhupathi, winner of 37 career doubles titles during his 11 years in the game, has been a driving force in helping Mumbai stage the tournament. Bhupathi’s company, Globosport India, will be responsible for the marketing, management and promotion of the Mumbai Open.
“The decision to host a second tournament in India is further evidence that the game is growing on the Asian subcontinent and it is great for the people of India who will get the chance to see some of the game’s best tennis players playing in Mumbai,” says Brad Drewett, CEO, ATP International Group.
India, one of the world’s largest populated countries, has had a long association with tennis, having previously hosted the World Doubles Championships in Bangalore and the current season opening tournament in Chennai.
