AUSTIN, Texas – The ATX Open is pleased to announce that global law firm Latham & Watkins will serve as the Championship Sponsor of the WTA 250 tournament that will be held Feb. 24-March 3 at Austin’s Westwood Country Club. One of only four standalone Hologic WTA Tour events in the United States, the ATX Open was founded with the mission to inspire, empower and improve the lives of women and the next generation through tennis. The inaugural edition earlier this year welcomed players representing 20 different nations and nearly 18,000 fans.
“As a long time Austinite and proud UT alum, I’m personally delighted by Latham’s sponsorship of one of our city’s major sports events,” said Mollie Duckworth, partner and Local Chair of Latham & Watkins’ Corporate Department in Austin. “Latham’s sponsorship of the ATX Open is a natural extension of our firm’s commitment to lifting up women across professions and giving back to the vibrant city we call home – an exciting moment for Latham.”
The ATX Open trophy visits the Latham & Watkins office in downtown Austin
Michael Chambers, partner in Latham & Watkins Austin office, added: “As one of the select few tour-level professional women’s tennis tournaments in the U.S., the ATX Open represents the very best of Austin. We are honored to serve as Championship Sponsor of the 2024 ATX Open and excited to welcome some of the sport’s top women players to our city for this flagship event. At Latham, we are passionate about sport and we are passionate about Austin, so this event is a thrilling milestone for the Latham team.”
Latham & Watkins is a leading global law firm with offices in 14 countries and more than 3,500 lawyers worldwide. Latham combines internationally-recognized practices, industry-leading expertise, and a culture of teamwork and innovation. From the firm’s offices in Austin and Houston, Latham advises startups, sponsors, and large public companies driving the economy in Texas and globally across industries, including technology, life sciences, consumer goods and retail, and nearly every subsector of the energy value chain.
“We are delighted that the prestigious firm, Latham & Watkins, will be partnering with the ATX Open,” said Tournament Director Christo Van Rensburg. “Tennis is a truly global sport, so it feels natural for a firm that operates around the world to be a tournament sponsor to support Austin’s largest women’s professional sporting event. Following on the heels of our initial player commitments, being able to welcome a sponsor such as Latham & Watkins is fantastic and has us all counting down the days until first ball in February.”
The ATX Open has announced four player commitments for the 2024 tournament: Grand Slam tournament champions Victoria Azarenka and Sloane Stephens, Grand Slam finalist Danielle Collins, and DropShot Series champion Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva.
Azarenka held the WTA’s No. 1 ranking for 51 weeks and is a two-time Australian Open champion. The winner of 21 career WTA titles, she has also been a finalist at 20 events, including three times at the US Open and once at the WTA Finals. Her 2023 campaign was highlighted by a run to the Australian Open semifinals and she finished the season in the Top 25 for the first time since giving birth to her son, Leo, in 2016.
Stephens was a quarterfinalist in singles and doubles at the inaugural ATX Open. The 2017 US Open champion, Stephens has been ranked as high as No. 3 in the world and has won seven titles while also reaching three other finals, including at the French Open and WTA Finals. Stephens was the recipient of the 2023 Women’s Catalyst Award, which is presented in partnership with Google and the Austin Community Foundation Women’s Fund, for her work with the Sloane Stephens Foundation.
Collins, the first player to commit to play the inaugural ATX Open, counts the Austin tournament among her two semifinals during 2023. The 2022 Australian Open runner-up, Collins claimed a pair of WTA titles during the 2021 season. She has been ranked as high as No. 7 as a pro after a collegiate career that was highlighted by a pair of NCAA singles championships while she attended the University of Virginia.
Jimenez Kasintseva was awarded a wild card earlier this month after winning the title at the DropShot Tournament Series H-E-B Women’s Pro Tennis Open. The 18-year-old is the first player from Andorra to play on the WTA Tour. The winner of four career ITF titles, she was the 2020 Australian Open junior champion at the age of 14.
Marta Kostyuk won the 2023 ATX Open singles title, while Erin Routliffe, this year’s US Open doubles champion, teamed up with Aldila Sutjiadi to win the doubles title.
Tickets for the second edition of the WTA 250 tournament are now on sale at ATXOpen.com. The tournament’s second edition will feature several changes, including additional seating around Center Court, expanded hospitality offerings in several locations, the new Cadillac Club offering views of Grandstand Court, additional special events, and a new opening weekend featuring qualifying matches and other activities to kick off tournament week.
Sponsorships are now available for the 2024 tournament, with additional hospitality offerings and events enhancing the packages. Companies interested in partnering with the tournament should email info@atxopen.com to request additional information.
Additional player commitments will be announced in the coming weeks and the full player list for next year’s ATX Open will be released in January.
About Latham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins is a leading global law firm with offices in 14 countries and more than 3,500 lawyers worldwide. Latham advises the businesses, institutions, and entrepreneurs that power the global economy, bringing together the world’s best legal talent in every major jurisdiction to advise clients on market-shaping transactions, high-stakes litigation and trials, and sophisticated regulatory matters. The firm’s commitment to give back has led it to become one of the world’s largest providers of pro bono legal services. From offices in Austin and Houston, Latham advises on many of the most complex and high-value transactions and litigation matters in Texas across industries, including technology, life sciences, consumer goods and retail, and nearly every subsector of the energy value chain.
