ForteBank Hosts 10th Anniversary Forte Open Charity Tournament

On October 3–4, Gorky Tennis Park hosted the 10th Forte Open amateur charity tennis tournament. Thirty-six doubles teams from Almaty and Astana — 20 men’s and 16 women’s — competed for the top prizes. All entry fees go toward the development of children’s tennis.
This year, matches were played as a single set to six games, with a deciding point at deuce. The first day was devoted to the group stage, and the second to the playoffs.
The tournament was opened by Mukhabbat Seitova, Managing Director of Forte Premier. She noted that over the past decade, Forte Open has become a magnet for tennis enthusiasts.
“It’s been exactly ten years, and today I find myself thinking back to that very first Forte Open. I’m so glad this tournament keeps bringing tennis lovers together. Thank you so much for your trust, for taking part, and for loving, valuing and playing tennis,” said Mukhabbat Seitova.
Ardak Abizhanov, CEO of the Tennis Development Fund and Vice President of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation, congratulated the participants on a historic season for Kazakhstani tennis. Elena Rybakina won the US Open — her third Grand Slam title — and became world No. 1 in the WTA rankings for the first time. “For the first time ever, a player from Kazakhstan has become world No. 1 — congratulations to all of you. This is a historic achievement for the whole country,” said Ardak Abizhanov.
He also highlighted the role of Bulat Utemuratov, President of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation, in building the country’s tennis infrastructure: “Thanks to him, Kazakhstan has developed — and continues to develop — modern tennis infrastructure. We now have 39 tennis centers and 394 tennis courts, and today 30,000 children and 15,000 amateurs play the sport. I think these are impressive numbers and a major achievement for tennis in our country,” said Ardak Abizhanov.
Forte Open has been held in Almaty since 2016, organized by Forte Premier and Gorky Tennis Park. Since the very first tournament, the idea has remained the same: to bring tennis enthusiasts together and support children’s sport.
The format has evolved over the years. In 2017, more than 80 players took part: 24 men’s doubles teams and 16 Pro-Am teams, in which an amateur partnered with a professional female player. The tournament was not held in 2020 due to the pandemic and returned in 2021.
Since 2024, Forte Open has been a fully amateur event. In 2024, the tournament’s prize fund totaled KZT 3 million. For all ten years, Forte Open entry fees have gone entirely to charity — to support the development of children’s tennis. In 2026, the amount raised exceeded KZT 4 million, all of which goes to children’s tennis. Forte Open entry fees fund Forte Kids Open, a national children’s charity tournament in the Green Ball category held every year. In 2025, it took place for the ninth time and brought together 64 young players: 18 boys and 46 girls.