WTA players in Guadalajara avoid the traffic with tournament-provided helicopter rides

By CARLOS RODRÍGUEZ The Associated Press

Poland's Katarzyna Piter steps off a helicopter for her match at the Guadalajara Open tennis tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alfredo Moya)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Alfredo Moya]

GUADALAJARA, México (AP) — Guadalajara is known around the world as the birthplace of tequila and mariachi music. For the tennis players who come to the WTA 500 tournament, the city is the only stop on the tour where they can soar through the skies before their matches. To avoid a high traffic zone around the Centro Panamericano de Tenis, located in Zapopan, a Guadalajara suburb, tournament organizers offer players helicopter rides from the hotel to the venue. Players can also book rides from the airport to their hotel. WTA communications director Alex Prior said it is the only WTA event to offer helicopter shuttles as a regular service.