VenueReal Club de Tenis Barcelona
The Real Club de Tenis Barcelona 1899 is a private tennis club in Barcelona, Spain. The facility has 18 clay courts, including a stadium court with a capacity of 8,400 and show court for 2,600 spectators. Since moving to its current location in the northwest of the city in 1953, the club has hosted the Open Godó tournament, a part of the ATP World Tour's 500 Series. Over the years, the club has hosted many Davis Cup ties of the Spanish team, including the Inter-Zonal final in 1965.
Centenary club
the first International Exhibition in Barcelona, held in 1898, had much to do with the birth of the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona. The industrial and commercial boom generated by the event attracted many foreign families who moved to the city. The result was the rising number of sports fans who yet enjoyed enormous prestige in their countries of origin.
Only one year later, in 1899, many English families – the Witty, Parsons, Leask, Park, Shields or Bartows – established the Lawn Tennis Club Barcelona, as it was formerly named, under the chairmanship of Great Britain’s Consul in April, laying the foundations for one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world, the Trofeo Conde de Godó, now Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.
The rising number of members over the years forced the club to move the headquarters from Calle Ganduxer to its current location in Pedralbes.
The tournament Trofeo Conde de Godó was inaugurated in the 50’s, in the 60’s the center court turned out to be the talisman for the Spanish Davis Cup Team and later the club established the first tennis school on Spanish soil. In 1999 the Real Club Tenis Barcelona celebrated 100 years and was recognized by His Majesty the King Juan Carlos I.
The 21st Century brings new improvements for the members with the inauguration of a huge Sports Center (2009) and new private parking.
The first name of the club was Lawn-Tennis Club Barcelona.
Tournamnent Area!
Access to the tournament area
The main entrance to the Open Sabadell Atlantico Barcelona tennis courts is placed at the confluence of Bosch i Gimpera and Marqués de Mulhacén streets. The ticket office is also located there, near the "Welcome Office", where the official transport and the credential zone are also placed.
The audience can go out the tournament site during the same session thanks to a special ticket that is given in the main entrance after showing the ticket.
Godó Boulevard
Tournament visitors must make a visit to the "Godó Boulevard" or "Commercial Street", where many brands show their products. Stands are 9 m2 and have tables, chairs and an electrical installation.
There are over a hundred people in charge with the maintenance and cleaning of the tournament site. This peculiar team work very hard to keep the equipment tidy. It is relevant to notice that courts are carefully taken care for months in order that players do not get any false bounce.
Courts 1, 3, 4
For eight years, Open Sabadell Atlantico Barcelona - Trofeo Conde de Godó unites courts one and two, which have became the court number one that can hold 2,600 spectators, since 2000. In this way, tournament can respond to the enormous expectation that all matches of the competition arouse provided the increasing quality of the players.
Real Club de Tenis Barcelona-1899 arranges four courts for the tournament. Courts 3 and 4 can hold over 500 people. Another seven courts are arranged to give shelter to different services. Two of them are used to install the tribunes of the main court and another five to the Village. A team of four people takes care of them.
There are two big electronic scoreboards. One in the central court and another one in courts 1, 3 and 4 where the rest of the matches are played. There is an information screen in the square as well.
Center Court
The centre court, better known as the 'Talisman Court' has been reconstructed in 20012, increasing the total capacity by 600 places to a total of 8,400 spectators thanks to special stands installed especially for the tournament.
Formal rules
Players appreciate the known good manners and courtesy of the Catalan crowd. The foremost behaviour rules to follow during the match are:
Do not leave or occupy your seat during the game or the tie-break.
Do not speak or make any sound when the ball is in play.
Do not applaud mistakes in the service.
Do not use flashes during the game.
Keep mobile phones disconnected during the match.
For common benefit, do not smoke in your seat.
Press Office
attends to the requests of more than 350 journalists and photographers from all around the world. The office is managed by the ATP Press Service and helps journalists through the press guide and approaching players to information professionals. The press office takes on the realisation of the Open Sabadell Atlantico Barcelona programme, the official newspaper edited in collaboration with La Vanguardia, and the dissemination of results and game rules to the audience. In the same way, together with the IMG Company, manages all technical needs of radio-television.
The new press office has two spacious rooms with a work area for journalists, an interviews area, restaurant, hall, credential zone and private access.
Official Newspaper
The official newspaper, edited in close collaboration with La Vanguardia, continues its informative task of the tournament development both inside and outside the courts. The newspaper is freely distributed to spectators during the tournament dates.
Television
One more year, TVE is the official broadcaster of the Open Sabadell Atlantico Barcelona - Trofeo Conde de Godó. The current edition of the tournament will reach to Spanish tennis fans through La 2 and Teledeporte broadcasts.
Village
Since 1986, the Village is an exclusive and carpeted area where managers, sportsmen/sportswomen, politicians and VIPs meet in a pleasant and agreeable environment during the competition. In this place (access sole with invitation) sponsors have an ideal spot to attend to their clients and guests in carps of 36 m2 equipped with tables, chairs, floral decorating and a TV screen to watch the matches.
The restricted access to the Village zone -sole with invitation- is located at Bosch i Gimpera / Cardenal Vives i Tutó.
Gardening
The flower adornments situated in the entrance and the players hall consist of laurels, chrysanthemums and daisies (basically white and
yellow) which create a tasteful environment. Gardeners keep the rest of the vegetation magnificent.
Club House
Situated in one of the nearest hall to the entrance of the clubhouse, beside the restaurant, there is this place exclusively for tennis players. There, they are able to relax, watch TV, play billiards, chatting with colleagues and rivals or be informed about the activities they can carry out in Barcelona. Moreover, there are amusement machines.
In this room, the club restaurant offers a complete buffet made suitable for the special nutritional needs of high competition players.
There is also a small terrace situated close to the main entrance to enjoy the Mediterranean Sun. Players will be very grateful for this after the indoor season.
