Following the postponement of the Australian Open Junior event, the ITF has moved to support the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors calendar in the early stages of 2021 by upgrading J1 Barranquilla, Colombia to Grade A status. 

The Barranquilla tournament upgrade, approved for 2021 by the Juniors Committee, has been supported by COSAT (South America Tennis Confederation) and will take place in week four of next year’s junior calendar, between 25-31 January. 

Elevating the event’s status will provide players with the opportunity for Grade A ranking points in the absence of a Grand Slam tournament during the early stages of the junior calendar and opening weeks of the season.  

“Barranquilla will host a Grade A category tournament for the first time in its history, awarding 500 points to the champion,” said David Samudio Gomez, President of the Colombian Tennis Federation.  

“This upgrade is a very important achievement for Colombia and for South America for many reasons. The Barranquilla City Cup tournament has been held in our country for more than 35 years, it has seen those who today are the best professionals in the world on its courts and, without a doubt, it is a tournament of great relevance for the junior calendar. 

“We are living in a time of unprecedented difficulty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which unfortunately has produced massive cancellations of events which are fundamental to the growth of junior tennis players. In this way, the Barranquilla tournament opens an important door. 

“Barranquilla, known worldwide as the Golden Gate of Colombia, has hosted other tennis events of international stature such as Davis Cup and the Central American and Caribbean Games 2018. We are sure that we will have a great tournament.” 

JA Barranquilla will form part of the South American calendar swing, with J1 tournaments in Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay and Brazil scheduled to follow, prior to the second Grade A event of the season in Criciuma, Brazil.  

ITF President David Haggerty said: “We are delighted to be able to support the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors calendar during the early stages of 2021. 

“It is hugely important to provide players with the opportunity to compete for Grade A ranking points in the absence of a Grand Slam tournament and we look forward to the upgraded Barranquilla event being a huge success.  

“The ITF continues to work with Tennis Australia to re-schedule the Australian Open Junior event for later in the year and will provide further information in due course.”