Karnataka’s Tumakuru to host first ITF Women’s W35 tournament
In a significant boost to Karnataka’s growing tennis stature, Tumakuru is set to host its first-ever ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour W35 tournament from May 4-10. The tournament will be held at the Tumkur District Tennis Stadium, Tumkur University Campus.
The upcoming W35 will be the second international event in Tumakuru’s history and the first-ever ITF Women’s tournament in over two decades. The USD 30,000 event is part of the global ITF Women’s circuit, offering a pathway for players to earn professional ranking points and progress towards the WTA Tour.
Emerging international players and top Indian professionals will compete across a 32-player singles main draw and qualifying rounds. Following a successful run of international tournaments in Bengaluru and Kalaburagi, the event strengthens Karnataka’s presence on the global tennis calendar and reflects efforts to take the sport beyond established centres.
The tournament marks a historic moment for Tumakuru, which last hosted an international tennis event in 2003 — the ATP Challenger (Tumkur Open). The event featured players such as Rohan Bopanna and Prakash Amritraj, while Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber claimed the title.
Among the field was Marcos Baghdatis, who reached the semi-finals and later rose to a career high World No. 8, finishing runner-up in the 2006 Australian Open. The tournament remains the only international tennis event to have been held in the city.
