MARBELLA (MÁLAGA), 13 (EUROPA PRESS)
The mayor of Marbella (Malaga), Ángeles Muñoz, has underlined the great “tourist, economic and media impact” that the town will have for hosting a Spain and Romania”>Davis Cup tie for the fourth time in its history, which it will face on the 4th and 5th of March to Spain and Romania and in which the recently deceased tennis legend Manolo Santana will be honored.
The councilor held a meeting this Thursday in the City Council with the general director of the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET), Lorenzo Martínez, after which they confirmed that the city will once again be the setting for this “first level” sporting event , which will be held at the facilities of the Hotel Puente Romano Tennis Club, after the acceptance of the municipality’s candidacy by the International Federation (ITF).
Muñoz thanked Martínez and his entire team for the involvement “with our city” and stressed that the Davis Cup “is much more than a sports tournament, it reaches the heart and, furthermore, Marbella has always given the national team very good luck” .
Likewise, he has shown his conviction that this great tennis event “will continue to bring great triumphs to our team” and has also highlighted the fact of the tribute that he wants to pay to the figure of Manolo Santana, Adoptive Son of Marbella.
“One of the illusions of Manolo, a great celebrity linked to the world of tennis and the city, was always that our destination would host this type of qualifying round, with total guarantee of success, and again we are going to host one”, said the mayor, thanked “the effort, speed and support that the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation has once again shown us,” while appreciating the work done by the municipal Sports delegation.
For his part, Martínez assured that Marbella “is the home of the RFET and we appreciate it” and explained that, although the International Federation asked for it to be held in a closed space given the celebration in winter, “we have convinced it given the good weather that this city has, being an ideal place to do it outdoors ».
In addition, he pointed out that “we already know the facilities where they will play again and we are sure that the event will be a successful participation at a sporting level” and has specified that the capacity for the tie that Spain will face against Romania will be for 4,000 people, ticket prices will be affordable and the competition will be played within a new format within which the winner will qualify for the final phase of the Davis Cup 2022.
The director of the RFET has also influenced “the great act of tribute that we want to do to Manolo Santa in his city and on his track, with the participation of his fellow players and former Davis Cup players and national and international personalities from the world of tennis ».
“We want the International Federation to allow us to do it on the track on Saturday, March 5,” Martínez said, adding that “we also seek to create a kind of museum with Santana’s personal collections so that citizens can visit it. ».
TICKET FOR THE FINALS
It will be the fourth time that the Davis Cup has visited Marbella. He had previously done it in the Plaza de Toros de Puerto Banús in 2009, and in the same Club Tenis Hotel Puente Romano in 1989 and 2018.
The winner of the tie will qualify for the 2022 Davis Cup Finals, which will debut a new format of 16 teams divided into 4 groups in 4 different venues, of which the 8 teams that will access the final phase in a fifth will come out. headquarters to be designated.
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