MEXICO · TENNIS GUIDE
Key Facts
- —Date Saturday, 20 February 2027, to Saturday, 27 February 2027, with qualifying on 20 and 21 February and the final on Saturday, 27 February 2027.
- —Venue Arena GNP Seguros in Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico; the main stadium holds more than 10,200 spectators on a hard court.
- —Players Ben Shelton (world No. 4), Flavio Cobolli (No. 6, defending champion), Frances Tiafoe (No. 9), Brandon Nakashima, Francisco Cerúndolo and Lorenzo Musetti are confirmed.
- —Start times 2027 session times are not published; Acapulco runs one hour behind US Eastern time in February, so 6 p.m. there is 7 p.m. Eastern.
- —Tickets On sale since 19 October through the Mextenis Account Manager by Ticketmaster; three-day packages start at MXN 5,120 (about US$275) before fees.
- —How to watch Tennis Channel was the listed US broadcaster for the 2026 tournament; the 2027 schedule has not been announced.
- —Power Index Mexico ranks 2nd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 71.4 points (October 2026 edition).
- —What it means for you The State Department rates Guerrero state, which includes Acapulco, Level 4, do not travel, for terrorism, crime and kidnapping; read it before booking.
Three of the world’s top ten men have signed up for Acapulco in February 2027, and three confirmed players are American. Tickets are on sale, but the host state carries the State Department’s highest warning.
The Telcel Mexican Open, an ATP 500 event, returns to Acapulco, Mexico, on 20 to 27 February 2027. Organiser Mextenis says Ben Shelton, Flavio Cobolli and Frances Tiafoe, all top-10 players, have confirmed for the Mexican Open Acapulco 2027.
Shelton, Tiafoe and Brandon Nakashima are all Americans, so the field has real pull for US fans. Tickets are on sale, but Acapulco sits in a state the US State Department rates Level 4, do not travel.
Why the Mexican Open Matters to US Fans
The tournament was launched in 1993 and is played on hard courts, the organiser’s fact sheet says. Mextenis, the Mexican company that runs it, calls the 2027 edition the 34th.
As an ATP 500 event, it ranks one step below the Masters 1000 tournaments. The champion earns 500 ranking points, the organiser’s fact sheet says.
Cobolli won the 2026 final on Saturday, 28 February 2026, beating Tiafoe 7-6(4), 6-4, according to the US site TennisNow. Zverev and Melo won the doubles, the organiser says.
Tiafoe returns after winning a title in Halle in 2026 and reaching the semifinals of his home Grand Slam, the organiser says. TennisNow says he was bidding for a first ATP 500 title when he lost last year’s final.
Shelton is the top name at world No. 4, a career high. The organiser says he defended his Canada Masters 1000 title in 2026 and reached the US Open final.
Nakashima, ranked No. 17, reached his first Masters 1000 final in Canada this year. Argentina’s Cerúndolo, No. 21, debuts in Acapulco, and Italy’s Musetti, No. 26, returns after an injury-hit season.
These rankings are the ones Mextenis quoted on Wednesday, 21 October, and they will move before February. The organiser says more players will be announced soon, and the final list is published two weeks before the event.
Schedule and Start Times in US Eastern Time
Qualifying is on Saturday, 20 February 2027, and Sunday, 21 February 2027. The main draw starts on Monday, 22 February 2027, with first-round matches on Monday and Tuesday and the second round on Wednesday.
The quarterfinals are on Thursday, 25 February 2027, and the semifinals follow on Friday, 26 February 2027. The final is on Saturday, 27 February 2027, according to the organiser’s ticket page.
For the first time, the draw ceremony on Saturday, 20 February 2027, will be open to the public. It sets the first-round matchups and will feature one main-draw player, the organiser says.
Session start times for 2027 have not been published. In 2026, evening sessions started at 6 p.m. local time through the quarterfinals.
The 2026 semifinals began at 18:30 and 19:00 local time, and the final at 18:30. Treat those times as a guide only.
Acapulco uses Central Standard Time, six hours behind UTC all year, because Mexico ended daylight saving time in 2022. In February, US Eastern time is five hours behind UTC, so Acapulco is one hour behind New York.
A 6 p.m. start in Acapulco would therefore be 7 p.m. in New York and 4 p.m. in Los Angeles. The 2027 order of play may differ, so check the official site closer to the date.
Tickets and Prices
Tickets are sold through the Mextenis Account Manager, run by Ticketmaster, which the tournament website links to. The box office phone line is +52 55 2167 3232, open 10:00 to 18:00.
General sales opened on Monday, 19 October 2026, the official ticket page says. The Mexican site La Lista reports a sale for HSBC Premier card holders, announced on the tournament’s social media.
The official page sells three package types, with prices in pesos before service fees. The early-week series for 22 to 24 February costs MXN 5,120 (about US$275) in Plata, the cheapest of five seating categories.
The same early-week series costs MXN 6,320 (about US$339) in Terraza and MXN 7,865 (about US$422) in Platino, the dearest category. Oro bajo and Oro alto sit between them.
The weekend series, Thursday 25 to Saturday 27 February 2027, runs from MXN 12,370 (about US$664) to MXN 19,770 (about US$1,061). The full-week series, Monday to Saturday, runs from MXN 17,490 (about US$939) to MXN 27,635 (about US$1,483).
BEYOND hospitality packages for 25 to 27 February cost MXN 43,500 to MXN 58,500 (about US$2,335 to US$3,140) plus value-added tax. Prices exclude service fees and may differ by point of sale, the organiser says.
Conversions use MXN 18.63 per US dollar, the open.er-api.com rate of 22 October 2026. The organiser’s FAQ says tickets are sold per day and each one covers every match that day.
Qualifying on Saturday and Sunday costs MXN 350 (about US$19), the organiser said on 21 October. Children under 12 enter free.
The FAQ page still lists MXN 300 (about US$16), so confirm the price when you buy. Tickets are 100% digital, with barcodes that change to stop forgeries.
Screenshots are not accepted at the gate, so save your ticket to your phone wallet. Transfers to friends open on 26 January.
The FAQ names the Mextenis Account Manager, the phone line and WhatsApp as the sales channels. Anyone aged 3 or over needs a ticket, except children under 12 at qualifying.
How to Watch in the United States
Tennis Channel became the exclusive US home of most ATP events in 2021, including all ATP 500 tournaments, Sports Video Group reported. A later SportBusiness report says the extended deal keeps the ATP 500 events, with terms undisclosed.
The site Tennis Up To Date named Tennis Channel as the US broadcaster of the 2026 Acapulco tournament. No 2027 broadcast schedule had been published when this guide was checked on 22 October.
Tennis TV, the ATP’s streaming service, promoted the 2026 event as live on its own event page. That page does not state which countries can watch, so check availability before you subscribe.
In Mexico, the organiser’s 2026 media rules said ESPN held exclusive live broadcast rights. Those rules do not mention US coverage.
Getting to Acapulco and the Arena
Arena GNP Seguros stands at Boulevard de las Naciones and Paseo de los Manglares in the Riviera Diamante area of Acapulco. The organiser’s fact sheet lists Hotel Princess Mundo Imperial as the tournament hotel.
Gates open two hours before the first match each day, and the venue has a limited parking lot plus other lots nearby. The arena has ramps, elevators and reserved seats for visitors with disabilities, plus one companion seat.
A 2026 bulletin on Guerrero air links lists Acapulco flights from AIFA airport in Mexico City, Monterrey and Querétaro, plus Canadian charters. It names no US-origin flights, so US visitors should check airline schedules and expect a connection.
Mexicana de Aviación planned an AIFA to Acapulco route from June 2026, according to El Financiero, a Mexican business daily. The report did not give the weekly frequency.
The State Department warns that armed groups in parts of Guerrero keep roadblocks and may use violence against travellers. Its advisory links a map of restricted areas, so read it before planning any overland leg.
Safety and Costs for Visitors
The State Department rates Guerrero Level 4, do not travel, because of terrorism, crime and kidnapping. It says US government employees may not travel to any area of the state, including tourist areas in Acapulco.
The advisory says armed groups operate independently of the government in many areas, and US citizens have been victims of kidnapping. The Mexico advisory was issued on 29 May 2026, and the department rates Mexico overall at Level 2.
The arena sits in Punta Diamante, a resort district, yet the advisory treats Guerrero as one risk area. Ask your travel insurer how a Level 4 rating affects your cover before you pay for anything.
Food and drinks are not included in a ticket, and outside food and drink are banned inside the venue. In 2026 the organiser offered a cashless phone app, with a refund of unspent funds after the event.
Backpacks, cameras, video recorders and drones are banned, but handbags are allowed. Everyone goes through a security check, and the organiser offers no storage for banned items.
Re-entry is not allowed after you leave, except in exceptional cases the organiser approves. Players, schedules and the order of play can change without notice, so check the official channels daily.
What It Means for You
For US fans, this is a chance to see Shelton, Tiafoe and Nakashima at a top-tier event close to home. A full-week Plata package costs about US$939 before fees, with flights and hotels on top.
The big question is safety, not price. Read the Level 4 advisory in full, check your insurance and avoid overland travel inside Guerrero.
If you stay home, Tennis Channel carried the 2026 event, and a 2027 schedule should appear nearer the date. Watch the tournament’s official channels for the order of play and any withdrawals.
What Is Not Known
Daily session times, the order of play and the full 2027 player field have not been published. The organiser says the final player list comes two weeks before the tournament.
Single-day ticket prices were not on the official page, and the qualifying price differs between the FAQ and the latest announcement. The US channel and broadcast times for 2027 are also unconfirmed.
Connected Coverage
For more Mexico sport, see the Rio Times guide to the Vikings and 49ers NFL game in Mexico City. The Baja 1000 desert race starts in Los Cabos on 13 November.
Many US visitors reach Acapulco through the capital, so read the Mexico City guide for visitors. The Rio Times Mexico page tracks security and travel developments across the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Mexican Open Acapulco 2027 and who is playing?
The Mexican Open runs from Saturday, 20 February 2027, to Saturday, 27 February 2027, at Arena GNP Seguros. Shelton, Cobolli, Tiafoe, Nakashima, Cerúndolo and Musetti are confirmed so far.
How much are Mexican Open tickets and where do I buy them?
Three-day packages start at MXN 5,120 (about US$275) and the full-week series at MXN 17,490 (about US$939), before fees. Buy through the Mextenis Account Manager by Ticketmaster, linked from the tournament website.
What time are matches in US Eastern time and how can I watch?
Acapulco is one hour behind US Eastern time in February, and 2027 start times are not out. Tennis Channel was the listed US broadcaster in 2026, but its 2027 schedule is unconfirmed.
Is it safe for US visitors to go to Acapulco?
The State Department rates Guerrero state Level 4, do not travel, and bars US government employees from the state. Read the advisory and check your insurance before booking, and avoid driving between cities.
Sources: Abierto Mexicano de Tenis, official site; Mextenis, player announcement, 21 October 2026; Abierto Mexicano de Tenis, tickets; Abierto Mexicano de Tenis, FAQ; Abierto Mexicano de Tenis, fact sheet; Abierto Mexicano de Tenis, quick guide (2026 edition); Abierto Mexicano de Tenis, ticket transfer guide; La Lista, 21 October 2026; Capital CDMX, 21 October 2026; TennisNow, 2026 final; Sports Video Group, Tennis Channel ATP rights; SportBusiness, Tennis Channel ATP extension; Tennis Up To Date, 2026 viewing guide; Tennis TV, 2026 event page; El Financiero, 1 April 2026; Guerrero tourism bulletin, 2026; US State Department, Mexico travel advisory, issued 29 May 2026; open.er-api.com exchange rates (all accessed 22 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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