Rédaction Africa Links 24 with ALM
Published on 2024-03-28 10:37:24
The 38th edition of the Grand Prix Hassan II tennis tournament will be held at the Royal Tennis Club of Marrakech (RTCMA) from March 31st to April 7th.
This 38th edition will be highlighted by the participation of internationally renowned players, who have expressed their joy in taking part in this first clay court tournament of the season as noted by tournament director Hicham Arazi during a press conference held on Tuesday to shed light on the final preparations for this major sporting event.
In this regard, he mentioned the tournament’s number 1 seed, Serbian Laslo Djere (ranked 35th in the world), Swiss Stan Wawrinka, winner of three Grand Slam tournaments, and Italian Matteo Berrettini, who reached the semi-finals of the US Open in 2019.
Regarding Moroccan participation, he mentioned that two Moroccan players have received wild cards, namely Elliot Benchetrit (ranked 660th) and the promising young player Karim Bennani, who became the under-18 African boys champion at the African Tennis Championship held in Cairo last February.
In addition to these two Moroccan players, two Arab tennis players also received invitations. They are Tunisian Aziz Dougaz (ranked 234th) and Jordanian Abdullah Shelbayh (ranked 228th).
On his part, the Vice President of the Royal Moroccan Tennis Federation (FRMT), Aziz Laarraf, emphasized the importance of this unique “ATP 250” tournament in Africa, with the participation of tennis figures looking to improve their rankings and prepare for upcoming clay court tournaments.
He praised the efforts of RTCMA to make this international event a success, highlighting the club’s infrastructure and facilities capable of hosting major tennis events.
The president of RTCMA, Aziz Tifnouti, mentioned that all necessary arrangements have been made and all stakeholders in Marrakech are mobilized to ensure that this prestigious event is a great success and a wonderful tennis festival.
“This tournament, currently part of the ATP 250 series, demonstrates Morocco’s ability to meet challenges and organize major sporting events,” he added, noting that the Kingdom has all the necessary assets to host high-level events.
Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, and organized by the FRMT, the Grand Prix Hassan II, played on the RTCMA courts since 2016, brings together the world’s tennis superstars, providing an unforgettable experience for fans eager to witness intense clay court matches. The tournament also includes a Show exhibition at Jemaa El Fna Square (March 31), a players’ night (April 2), and a Kids Day at RTCMA (April 3).
It is worth mentioning that Spanish Roberto Carballes Baena won the 37th edition of the Grand Prix Hassan II.
Read the original article(French) on Aujourdhui.ma
