The Rio Open strengthens its social initiatives as the years go by. We directly support five social projects of the city of Rio de Janeiro. They receive balls that have been used during the tournament, practice material and tennis lessons with the presence of professional players. Every year, 62 children are selected to be ball kids. In 2018, 15 of them were called to participate in the tournament backstage activities. Furthermore, their students take part in the Winners tournament, held in the Rio Open courts, giving its winners prizes such as a week of training at the IMG Academy, in the US, and participation in the Copa Guga Kuerten.
More than 600 students from Rio’s public schools in the cities of Japeri, Duque de Caxias, Sao Joao de Meriti, Cordeiro and several neighbourhoods such as Campo Grande and Copabacana, besides communities like Rocinha and Complexo do Alemão had the opportunity to visit the Rio Open.
People with disabilities also were invited to the tournament. Moreover, some of them had contact with the sport for the first time. The Rio Open made the first tennis clinic for people with disabilities during the event: 19 participants, nine in wheelchairs, six with Down Syndrome and other four with light intellectual disabilities. The event had the participation of the 19-time Grand Slam champion Maria Esther Bueno, in one of her last appearances before passing away in June.
In November 2018, Fedex brought two teens from these projects to be ball kids in the ATP Finals in London, the tournament that closes the season. Guilherme Fernandes, 14, and Vitória Almeida, 14, joined a select team of 26 ball kids and had the chance to participate in matches of legends like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
