When thinking of tennis in Spain, most fans picture the classic Iberian clay-court specialist grinding out long rallies on red dirt. But last week in the Andalusian town of Pozoblanco, a different image of Spanish tennis took center stage. The Open Ciudad de Pozoblanco is an ATP Challenger event played not on clay, but on hard courts, proof that Spanish tennis thrives beyond its traditional surface.
Pozoblanco, whose name means “white well,” is a tranquil town of around 20,000 residents, located just an hour’s drive north of the provincial capital Córdoba. Unlike the tourist magnet of Córdoba, known worldwide for its Mezquita and historic charm, Pozoblanco offers a quieter setting. The path to the tournament venue winds through narrow village streets, leading to a small hilltop sports complex.
Set amidst open Andalusian landscapes—home to the famed black Iberian pigs and the region’s beloved ham—the tournament’s Center Court, Pista Memorial Fabián Dorado, sits tucked away, occasionally accompanied only by the distant braying of donkeys.