International tennis, the likes of which has not been seen before in the Lowveld, is scheduled to hit the courts at Van Riebeeck Park in Mbombela in a few months’ time.

The two-week swing of incredible competition will form part of a larger 14-week leg of ITF World Tennis Tour events, comprising seven women’s and seven men’s events, all hosted in conjunction with Tennis South Africa. The turn to Mpumalanga will come after two weeks of competition in Pretoria, marking the first time ever that the Mbombela Open Global Series will be hosted.

The schedule will feature two weeks of combined back-to-back tournaments, with week one starting on April 27 and week two on May 4. Each competition will feature a prize purse of $15 000 (roughly R245 000), and about 80 players from over 26 countries will take part, earning international ranking points in the process.

As part of the ITF World Tennis Tour, the events serve as an important stepping stone from junior tennis to the global professional circuit. The events will attract a diverse mix of South Africa’s top junior players, emerging local professionals, and international talent from across Africa and beyond, ensuring high-quality competition and invaluable opportunities for player development.

According to Sabelo Mathebula, Tennis Base Legacy director and tournament director of the Mbombela Open, this is a huge step for tennis development in the Lowveld and the province.

“It means Mbombela and Mpumalanga are taking an influential position in the global tennis arena,” he said.

“It opens our province to the millions of tennis-loving people across the world, and of course it talks to the possible growth of tennis in our province and gives more South African players a great platform to be part of global tennis.”

Mathebula has been hard at work growing the sport in Mpumalanga for decades, and this series is perhaps the sweetest fruit of his labour yet.

“The event is not only about elite competition; it creates pathways for local players, coaches, officials, ball kids and volunteers to gain exposure, training and international-standard experience. This helps grow tennis participation and skills development in a region that has historically been underrepresented in high-performance tennis.”

He added that the international series is set to have an impact on the Lowveld beyond the confines of the court. “While the Mbombela Open Global Series is internationally connected, it is locally rooted. Its relevance lies in economic impact, skills development, youth inspiration, tourism growth and the long-term positioning of Mbombela and the Lowveld as a serious sporting hub,” Mathebula said proudly.

“Through international media coverage, global player participation, and official recognition within the World Tennis Tour ecosystem, the city gains international visibility as a sporting and tourism destination. This directly supports destination marketing for Mpumalanga and positions Mbombela as a capable host city for world-class events.”

Mathebula firmly believes the series will have significant tangible economic benefits with increased demand for accommodation, transport services, catering, security, event infrastructure and other local services. “Many of these services are sourced from local companies, creating income opportunities and temporary jobs, while stimulating the local economy.”

In addition, the event is designed to integrate community outreach programmes, including coaching clinics, school engagements and development activations, ensuring that local communities benefit directly from the presence of international sport in their city.

After the Mbombela Open Global Series has come and gone, it will again be time for the Mbombela Open, which will be held between June 24 and 28. In its third year, the Open will once again feature a total prize purse of R500 000, making it the largest prize purse in SA domestic tennis.