# Portuguese Icons Gather in Lisbon and Oeiras for World Tennis Masters Championships

**By Amelie Fontaine**  \nPublished August 2, 2026  \nUpdated September 9, 2026

> Over 300 players from 31 countries converge on Lisbon and Oeiras for the World Tennis Masters Tour World Team Championships, featuring former ATP and WTA standouts.

When the red clay of the Jamor National Sports Center and the International Foot-Ball Club (CIF) in Restelo opens its gates, domestic tennis heritage steps back into the competitive arena. The 2026 World Tennis Masters Tour World Team Championships officially commence, bringing over 300 competitors representing 85 teams across 31 nations to the Lisbon and Oeiras municipalities. Organized by the Portuguese Tennis Federation, the tournament runs from August 2 through August 7, kicking off a two-week masterclass in senior international competition on clay.

The host nation fields robust selections anchored by figures whose professional credentials loom large over the +40 and +45 age categories. Frederico Gil arrives as the world No. 1 in the over-40 division of the International Tennis Federation's senior circuit, joined by Rita Freitas, who commands the world No. 2 ranking in the equivalent women's age bracket. Gil’s presence carries profound historical weight for domestic fans: he remains the first Portuguese player to reach an ATP Tour singles final and cracked the global top 100 during a decorated career that included anchoring the nation's Davis Cup side.

Alongside Gil and Freitas, the national rosters feature icons such as Frederica Piedade, a former Billie Jean King Cup competitor and national champion in 2001 and 2002. A deeper inspection of the team lists reveals a concentrated gathering of former professionals who once traded blows on the WTA and ATP circuits:

- **Feminine +40 (Young Cup):** Captained by Rita Freitas, joined by Frederica Piedade, Catarina Ferreira, and Patrícia Couto.

- **Feminine +45 (Margaret Court Cup):** Captained by Inês Moura, alongside Isaura Forte Faria, Raquel Themudo, and Luísa Rosas.

- **Masculine +40 (Tony Trabert Cup):** Captained by Gonçalo Nicau, featuring Fred Gil, José Ricardo Nunes, and João Ferreira.

- **Masculine +45 (Dubler Cup):** Captained by Nuno Matias, featuring Gonçalo Figueiredo, Mauri Brito Gomez, and Nuno Topa.

Opening Sunday's fixtures test the hosts immediately. In the Young Cup (+40 women), Portugal faces Ireland at the Estádio Nacional, while the Margaret Court Cup (+45 women) pits the team against Spain. The Tony Trabert Cup (+40 men) features a clash against Australia on the Jamor clay, and the Dubler Cup (+45 men) sees the squad square off against Ireland at the CIF facilities in Restelo. Aside from the men's +45 outfit stationed in Restelo, all home teams begin their campaigns at the Estádio Nacional.

## A Legacy of Elite Senior Hosting

Portugal’s emergence as a trusted hub for the ITF's senior elite is a matter of sustained infrastructure investment. This week marks the sixth time in the last eight years that the country has hosted a stage of the World Tennis Masters Championships, and the fifth consecutive year that the senior global elite has visited local clay courts. The team competition follows a round-robin group stage before narrowing to a single-elimination bracket from the quarterfinals onward.

Once the team champions are crowned on August 7, the action immediately pivots to the World Tennis Masters Tour World Individual Championships, running from August 8 to August 15. That second fortnight will settle singles, doubles, and mixed doubles crowns across corresponding age groups, complete with consolation brackets for early exiters.

Recent history suggests the home contingent will factor heavily into the latter stages. Rita Freitas has engineered an unprecedented domestic run, securing World Senior singles titles in 2022, 2024, and 2025. Additional gold medals in various doubles disciplines over recent seasons have rewarded veterans like Dominika Gorecka, José Ricardo Nunes, Luís Sousa Pinto, and João Ferreira, proving that transition from professional tours to senior masters circuits preserves both tactical acuity and competitive fire.

  **Tournament Schedule At-a-Glance:**

- **Team Championships:** August 2 – August 7 (Group stages to knockout rounds)

- **Individual Championships:** August 8 – August 15 (Singles, doubles, mixed and consolation)

- **Primary Venues:** Estádio Nacional (Jamor), CIF (Restelo), and CETO (Oeiras)

## Sources

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