São Paulo Hosts First WTA Coaches Workshop in South America

The workshops were coordinated by Luiz Carvalho and Thomaz Costa, tournament directors, with key contributions from Luiz Peniza, WTA Registered Coach and Brazilian Billie Jean King Cup Captain, and Caio Cortela from the Brazilian Tennis Federation's Department of Coach Education.

Peniza emphasized the importance of such events for coaches, stating, "It is always important to have opportunities for coaches -- both women and men -- to exchange ideas and information." He noted that the collaboration among the WTA, CBT, and SP Open improves the quality of the information shared, which benefits coaches' understanding.

The workshop was divided into two parts: the first on September 12-13 was open to a diverse group of over 30 high-performance coaches, while the second, held on September 14-15, focused specifically on women coaches, attracting another 30 participants. This latter segment aligned with the Brazilian federation’s initiative to foster female coach development.

Attendees had the chance to hear from various experts, including WTA representatives Marita Marshall, Randi Jackson, and Vivian Segnini. Pol Toledo, who coaches Paula Badosa, showcased on-court techniques. Other notable speakers included Andre Hoffman, Danilo Ferraz, Carla Tiene, Vinicius de Oliveira, Fernanda Ferreira, and Renata Diez.

The event also featured two of Brazil’s most accomplished former players, Niége Dias and Silvana Campos, who interacted with the attendees. To conclude the workshop, the WTA Americas Coach Inclusion Program celebrated the graduation of three Brazilian coaches from the 2025-26 cohort. These coaches gained valuable on-site mentorship from established tour coaches during their time in São Paulo, marking a successful summer for the program.