WORLD NO. 14 IVA JOVIC RETURNS TO ATX OPEN AS TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCES THREE-YEAR WESTWOOD COUNTRY CLUB PARTNERSHIP

AUSTIN, TEXAS (Aug. 24, 2026) — The ATX Open returns to Westwood Country Club in 2027 with one of the fastest-rising stars in women’s tennis. DropShot, the Austin-based promoter behind the WTA Tour event, today announced 18-year-old American Iva Jovic — currently World No. 14 — as the first player committed to the 2027 field, following a breakout stretch to a career-high ranking. The tournament also announced a three-year partnership with Westwood Country Club, keeping the event at the historic Austin venue through 2029. Tickets are on sale now at ATXOpen.com.

Jovic won her first tour-level title at the WTA 500 Guadalajara in 2025 at age 17, becoming the youngest American woman to claim a tour-level title since Coco Gauff in 2021. She also won the WTA 125 Ilkley before a strong 2026: a Hobart International final, her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open, and a break into the world’s Top 20. A fan favorite in Austin, Jovic reached the semifinals of the inaugural AUSTIN125 in 2025 and joined the tournament’s Kids’ Day clinic, then returned in 2026 for her ATX Open debut at Westwood Country Club.

“I’m incredibly excited to return to Austin for the 2027 ATX Open,” said Jovic. “I’ve had such memorable experiences competing here over the past two years, and the support from the Austin fans has made this a tournament I look forward to. I can’t wait to compete!”

Jovic’s return coincides with a milestone moment for the ATX Open as it begins its next chapter at Westwood Country Club. The three-year agreement builds on the tournament’s successful run at Westwood from 2023-2026. This marks the first time the ATX Open has secured a multiyear venue since its launch in 2023. As one of only three women’s-only tour-level events in the U.S. and Austin’s largest women’s professional sporting event, the ATX Open has quickly established itself as a fixture on the city’s growing sports calendar.

“Austin has shown us year after year that there is a real appetite for world-class women’s tennis, and this next chapter reflects the momentum we’ve built since launching the ATX Open,” said tournament director Christo Van Rensburg. “With three years ahead of us at Westwood, we have an incredible opportunity to think bigger about what this tournament can become — from the caliber of players we bring to Austin to the experience we create for fans and the broader impact we have on tennis in this community.”

Set along Lake Austin just minutes from downtown, Westwood Country Club is recognized as one of Austin’s premier tennis facilities and offers an extensive racquet program. Established in 1955, the club is centered around the historic McClendon estate, a 1925 residence that remains at the heart of the property today. The club hosted the ATX Open at Westwood in 2026, transforming its grounds into a weeklong tournament destination with Center and Grandstand Courts, hospitality spaces, dining, shopping and fan experiences throughout the property. The new partnership will allow DropShot and Westwood to continue building on that experience over the coming years.

“The ATX Open brings something truly special to Austin, and we’re thrilled to welcome the tournament back to Westwood,” said Van Barry, general manager and COO for Westwood Country Club. “There’s an incredible energy that comes with seeing our club transformed for an elite sporting event and watching players, fans and the Austin community come together around the game. We’re proud to be part of the tournament’s continued growth and look forward to an exciting 2027 event.”

The 2027 ATX Open will once again bring a global field of WTA stars to Austin, featuring a 32-player singles field and 16-team doubles draw. Additional player commitments, tournament programming and event details will be announced in the coming months.

Tickets for the 2027 ATX Open are now on sale at ATXOpen.com

ABOUT THE ATX OPEN

The ATX Open is a WTA Tour event, the only tour-level professional women’s tennis tournament held annually in Texas and Austin’s largest women’s professional sporting event. The WTA 250 tournament brings a global field of WTA stars to Austin to compete in 32-player singles and 16-team doubles draws and is broadcast to a worldwide audience. It is one of only three women’s-only WTA Tour level events in the U.S. Operated by DropShot, LLC, the ATX Open debuted in 2023 and is part of DropShot’s growing suite of professional tennis tournaments in Austin. For more information on the ATX Open, visit ATXOpen.com, @ATXOpenTennis on Facebook or @ATXOpen on Instagram and X.

ABOUT DROPSHOT

Tournament promoter DropShot was founded in 2019 by Bryan Sheffield, founder and CEO of Parsley Energy, which was later acquired by Pioneer Natural Resources; Managing Partner of Formentera Partners; and Co-Owner of Austin FC. DropShot’s mission is to elevate tennis in the city of Austin and give rising players an opportunity to improve their world ranking by hosting professional men’s and women’s tennis events. DropShot’s crown jewel is the WTA Tour 250 ATX Open, which debuted in 2023. In 2025, DropShot expanded its professional tennis footprint with the addition of the AUSTIN125, a WTA 125 event. They started their story in 2019 with their Men’s and Women’s ITF World Tennis Tour events a M25, the Greenview Development & Majestic Realty Men’s Pro Tennis Open and the W50 DropShot Series Women’s Pro Tennis Open, which occur this year Oct. 12-24, 2026.  For more information on professional tennis in Austin, visit dropshotseries.com.

ABOUT THE WTA

The WTA is the original game-changer for women’s sport. Founded in 1973 by the visionary Billie Jean King, the WTA was created to build equal opportunities for women in tennis, and we’ve been breaking boundaries ever since. Today we are the powerhouse of women’s professional sports, uniting athletes in fearless competition and bringing people together through the love of tennis. The WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz shares the thrill of every serve, rally and match point with an audience of more than one billion around the world. Players compete for PIF WTA ranking points in tournament arenas on six continents before the season hits its peak at the WTA Finals, where the best singles and doubles superstars battle to be crowned as year-end champions. Our ambitions go well beyond the court. We are champions for our incredible athletes and drivers of change through advocacy and action for women’s health and empowerment across the globe. Rally the world: wtatennis.com.

ABOUT WTA VENTURES

WTA Ventures, the commercial arm of the WTA, has a mission to fuel the growth of professional women’s tennis. Established in partnership with CVC Capital Partners in 2023, it aims to further elevate the profile of women’s tennis, improve the product for fans and accelerate commercial growth for the benefit of players, tournaments and everyone involved in the sport.