Post pandemic, the tennis population in Korea has surged as many young people have taken up the sport, and attendance at the Korea Open has greatly increased, last year achieving the milestone of being promoted from a WTA 250 to a WTA 500 tournament.The Olympic Park, where the Korea Open is held, is the historic place of the 1988 Seoul Olympics where Steffi Graf achieved the only Golden Slam in tennis history.
Seoul Olympic Park is a place of high historical value, but its aging facilities need major renovations. This year's Korea Open winner, Iga Świątek, has a special connection to the city as father participated in the 1988 Seoul Olympics as a rower for Poland's national team.
Persistent rain during the tournament caused significant schedule disruptions, though this year spectators, perused the tournament grounds drinking beer, and checking out activations such as our No More Bagel Score event with Original Beer Company.
Świątek's victory this year put her in great company—other past Korea Open champions include former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova, who won the inaugural tournament, the legendary Venus Williams, Jelena Ostapenko, who won the tournament the same year she claimed the French Open, and Japanese player Kimiko Date, who in 2009 set an amazing record by winning the tournament as she approached 40 years of age.
Tennis fans can see world-class players like Iga Świątek in person without having to travel to London, New York, or Paris. As tennis continues to grow in the country, we hope that Korea's only major international tennis tournament will become even more popular.
