Frequently Asked
The Copa del Café is an international junior tennis tournament held annually in San José, Costa Rica. It is part of the ITF Junior Circuit and attracts the best young tennis players from around the world.
The tournament is held every January at the Costa Rica Country Club in Escazú, San José. Please refer to the official ITF calendar for specific dates.
The tournament is open to junior players up to 18 years old who are part of the ITF Junior Circuit. Selection is based on ITF rankings and tournament regulations.
There is also a U14 category within the COTECC circuit, where players aged 11 (as of January 1 of the tournament year) to 14 (as of December 31 of the tournament year) can participate.
Hard courts.
The courts at the Copa del Café are indoors. However, the ITF allows two night matches to be played on the outdoor Stadium court.
Matches at the Copa del Café start at 9:00 AM for the first days of the tournament, later for semifinals and finals. The match schedule will be posted daily on the website.
The tournament is open to junior players competing in the U18 category (18 years and under), in accordance with the ITF Junior Circuit regulations. There is also a U14 tournament (14 years and under) under COTECC regulations.
The Copa del Café is known as a J300 ITF tournament and awards the following points:
Winner = 300, Finalist = 210, Semifinal = 140, Quarterfinal = 100, Second Round = 60, and First Round = 30.
The match schedule for the following day will be posted on our website as soon as it is finalized after each day’s program is completed.
U-18 players must register through the official ITF platform with their IPIN.
U-14 players must register through the official COTECC platform.
Players registered in the tournament through the ITF website only need to present their passport and pay the registration fee before their first match.
Players are responsible for making their own reservations at the Crown Plaza San José Hotel, located at Sabana Norte. It is important to identify yourself as a participant in the Copa del Café to receive the special rate.
Coaches or trainers are responsible for making their own reservations at the Crown Plaza San José Hotel, located at Sabana Norte.
Lodging is covered for players who are in the main draw starting from Sunday night and until the morning following their elimination in singles and doubles. Accommodation is provided at the Crown Plaza San José, La Sabana.
Lodging and meals for main draw players are covered until the morning following their elimination from the tournament. Breakfast will be provided at the Crown Plaza Hotel, while lunch and dinner will be served at the Costa Rica Country Club.
Most country origins do not require visas for visiting Costa Rica, BUT A FEW COUNTRIES DO. Visit the Costa Rica Government website below for a list of countries requiring visas.
Yes, practice courts are available for players before and during the tournament. Reservations are personal and must be made at the tennis courts of the Club for the same day (reservations cannot be made in advance for the following day).
Yes, spectators are welcome to attend the matches. Admission to the tournament is free during the day, but tickets are required for evening matches. Tickets can be purchased at the Costa Rica Country Club ticket office during the tournament days, starting from 4pm, or through the eTicketcr platform at the following link:
In accordance with ITF protocol the main draw consists of 32 players, including 22 Direct Acceptances, 4 players coming from the Qualifying Tournament, 4 Wild Cards, and 2 Special Exempts. If there are no Special Exempts (which is the usual case), these spots are given to the top 2 players on the Qualifying Tournament list and the top 2 Alternates are moved into the Qualifying list. If a player in the main draw does not show up to play, the spot is opened to a player who lost in the last round of the qualifying tournament, by draw, who enters as a Lucky Loser.
