Garcia set to sponsor new WTA tournament in Lyon: 'It's really something that was close to my heart'

It is something that is close to Garcia's heart with her hailing from Lyon and the fact she is currently the top-ranked Frenchwoman on the WTA Tour.

Speaking to the LyonCapitale website, Garcia said that someone else will be the tournament director but that she is proud to be involved in this tournament especially as it is so close to her heart.

"I know that it is not common to see a player in activity invest in a tournament, but for me, it is a great accomplishment and real pride.

It's really something that was close to my heart. I did all my training here, the territory has brought me a lot, I really wanted to give back to others and share with them this passion for tennis. Doing it in Lyon was very important.

I participated financially in the acquisition this week. For the rest, there is a team in place who will manage all this daily with Pascal Biojout, who will be the tournament director. "