This Monday, March 16, the final draw of the ITF J300 VILLENA – Eduardo Ferrero Memorial will begin. This tournament is the highest-level U18 international circuit event in Spain and one of the best in Europe. Players from around the world are gathering to try to etch their names as champions, alongside other great players who have won it in the past, such as Alcaraz, Badosa, Masarova, Munar, and Davidovich.

The final round of the qualifying draw has allowed twelve lower-ranked players to join the best players on this international circuit. Of those twelve players, four were Spanish: Spain’s Carlota Luján had to win tough matches—two of them decided in a third-set tiebreak—to secure her spot in the main draw. In the men’s draw, Jaume Casas and Aleix Galindo were the ones who qualified, also after close matches.

Other Spanish players await them in the final draw. The “Spanish armada” has been placing increasing importance on this circuit for several years now, allowing many to start as favorites. All will have a great opportunity to climb the world rankings and secure a spot this coming June at Roland Garros. Among the Spanish names to watch, the following stand out:

In the women’s draw, Paola Pinera, ranked No. 50 in the world, enters as the tournament’s third seed. Joining her, the Spanish contingent includes Gabriela Paun, Carla Vazquez, Vega Aguilar, Adriana Monlleo, Sofia Kova, and Claudia Cairols.

In the men’s draw, the number of Spanish players is quite high, with several having a shot at the prestigious title: Tito Chavez, a Top 20 player and the tournament’s fourth seed, Valentin González-Galino, brothers Quique and Maxi Carrascosa, and Eudald Gonzalez are among the standout contenders. It will also be interesting to watch the young 16-year-old players, Dario Ruiz and Ian Barroeta. Both players train at the JC Ferrero Tennis Academy, which is hosting the tournament, and have received invitations to compete against the world’s best under-18 players.

The tournament is open to the public and will run all week through Saturday, March 21. A unique opportunity to get a glimpse of the future of tennis and see the state of Spanish tennis.