Tennis Valencia Open 500

The best racquets in the world will be competing in Valencia from 31 October to 8 November 2009 at the Valencia Open 500 tennis tournament.

The venue for the Valencia Open 500 tournament is the City of Arts and Sciences, a symbol of the capital and the focus for much of world tennis interest during the ten days of the competition.

The main court will be housed in the Ágora Building, the new icon of the City of Arts and Sciences, a large multifunctional space with capacity for 5500 spectators.

The building, designed by architect and structural engineer Santiago Calatrava Valls, is located on the course of the old River Túria, bordered to the west by the Serreria Bridge and to the east by Oceanográfico Water Park. It comprises a large, light hall measuring around 5000 square metres and a maximum height to the open roof of 85 metres.

The Valencia Open 500 event has become the only indoor PTA event in Spain played on a fast, acrylic-on-wood surface; prize money totals 2,100,000€; confirmed competitors so far are Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, David Ferrer, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Fernando Verdasco and Tommy Robredo, who will compete over 11 sessions, 2 of at night.