Athens returns to WTA Tour for first time in 35 years

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The WTA announced Wednesday that Athens, Greece will return to the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz for the first time in over 35 years. 

The WTA 250 Athens Open will take place the week of July 13 (replacing the Jiangxi Open in China) at the Stadion Sports Center. The venue for the tournament sits within the historic Olympic Tennis Centre and will be played on hard courts with a 32-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw.

Maria Sakkari, who has reached 10 WTA finals and is the highest-ranked Greek woman ever with a career-high of No. 3, said: "To be able to step on court at home and hear the Greek fans will be one of the highlights of my career. Athens is where I first picked up a tennis racket and dreamed of becoming a professional tennis player -- for a WTA tournament to come here will be a truly special moment and a great opportunity to showcase Greek tennis and inspire young players."

It marks the first time a WTA event has been held in the city since 1990, when the Athens Trophy was last staged. The inaugural year of the event in 1986 saw Sakkari's mother, Angeliki Kanellopoulou, contest the final.

The addition of Athens means Greece will be one of 27 countries and territories the WTA Tour will visit this season, demonstrating the true global appeal of women's tennis and the huge growth the sport is currently experiencing.

Click here to see the full 2026 WTA Tour calendar.