site.btaBulgarian Tennis Federation Decides against Hosting ATP 250 Sofia Open in November

The Bulgarian Tennis Federation (BTF) Thursday announced that it will not host ATP 250 Sofia Open on November 4-11, due to circumstances beyond its control.

The BTF won the right to host the tennis tournament, which was due to take place in Tel Aviv, but was cancelled following Hamas’s attacks on civilians in Israel and the subsequent military action in the country. The BTF was forced to cancel the prestigious competition as the Arena Sofia Hall, which was about to house the ATP Sofia Open, is where the ballot counting for the possible mayoral elections’ second round is due to take place.

“Following the declaration of martial law in Israel, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) approached the BFT with an offer for Sofia to replace Tel Aviv as the tournament organiser. In the short time available, the Federation managed to secure the necessary permits, but despite its efforts, finding a suitable venue for a world-class event proved impossible”, BFT said.