Having recently hosted events in Sopot and Warsaw, Poland saw WTA tennis return to its grounds with the inaugural BNP Paribas Katowice Open in 2013. Held the first week of the European clay season, Katowice is one of just two indoor clay events on the calendar - the other being Stuttgart two weeks later.

"It is with pleasure that I accept the Honorary Patronage over the BNP Paribas Katowice Open," said Jerzy Buzek, former Chairman of the European Parliament. "I believe the tennis we will see in Katowice will be both beautiful and sophisticated. It not only gives us the sense of sports competition and adrenaline, but it also helps popularize tennis in our country."

The capital of the Silesia region, Katowice is one of the biggest urban and industrial areas in Poland. No stranger to hosting major sporting events, the city has also welcomed the FIBA European Basketball Championships for men and women and the FIVB Volleyball World League Final. The BNP Paribas Katowice Open is held at Spodek Hall, one of the most recognized sports facilities in Poland.