Merida Open

The Merida Open is a WTA 500 event that takes place at the Yucatan Country Club in Merida, Mexico, and it's one of the newer additions to the WTA calendar.

In its first edition, the women’s tennis event took place in February. However, this outdoor hardcourt event was moved to October in its second year, 2024, after the Merida Open was introduced into the WTA roster in 2023.

It was launched as a replacement for the defunct Abierto Zapopan, which was also held in Mexico each season. For sponsorship reasons, the WTA 500 tournament in Merida is also called the Merida Open Akron.

The Merida Open only includes 32 players in the singles draw. In the first competition in 2023, Italy's Camila Giorgi made history when she became the first-ever player to win at the Yucatan Country Club, defeating Sweden's Rebecca Peterson 7-6(3), 1-6, 6-2, to lift the trophy.

There is also a doubles event, which takes place at the competition. Each season, 16 couples enter into the doubles main draw. The duo of American player Caty McNally and French Diane Parry became the first doubles champions in the inaugural competition in 2023 when they defeated China's Xinyu Wang and Taipei's Fang-Hsien Wu 6-0, 7-5.

As a WTA 500-level event, it promises to attract some of the brightest up-and-coming talents in the world of tennis, and it's one of many tournaments held in Mexico, such as the women's Guadalajara Open, and men's Mexican Open and Los Cabos Open, which are some of the most popular tournaments on the Tour.