The WTA 250 event in Guadalajara is moving locations but staying in Mexico, with local newspapers saying it will become the Yucatan Open next season.
The event, which takes place in February, was being played at the same location as the current WTA 1000 Guadalajara Open and will now relocate to Merida, the capital of Yucatan. The organizers of the two events had recently indicated they were looking for another location for the smaller tournament.
The Guadalajara Open is substituting for the WTA 1000 event that has usually been played in Beijing, but there have been no tour events in China since the start of 2020 because of the country’s coronavirus restrictions, along with the WTA’s decision to cancel its events there following the detainment of WTA player Peng Shuai in 2021.
The decision to move the smaller event is a further indication that the Guadalajara Open will keep its current position in the schedule and there are no current steps being taken to move the event back to Beijing.
Tournament director Gustavo Santoscoy told press he is confident that the event has a good chance of receiving an extension.
“Obviously we want to stay with the WTA 1000, we have been in talks for a long time, not just these days,” he said.