On Monday, June 22, Elite Traveler hosted the official welcome party for the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic at the Pavilion Club in Knightsbridge. The evening brought together tournament players, including Mansour Bahrami and Flavia Pennetta, alongside partners and guests for a relaxed start to five days of tennis at The Hurlingham Club.
Elite Traveler is now in its second year as an official sponsor of the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic, a grass-court tournament that has become a fixture of London‘s summer sporting calendar. Held in the week before Wimbledon, it gives fans the chance to watch many of the game’s biggest names before they head to SW19. Beyond the exhibition matches, the week has become as much a social occasion as a sporting one, with guests moving between player Q&As, VIP hospitality spaces, champagne receptions, and Michelin-starred dining tents throughout the day.
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This year’s lineup included Jannik Sinner, Casper Ruud, Ben Shelton, Cameron Norrie, and Tommy Paul, alongside fan-favorite legends Mansour Bahrami, Michael Chang, and Monica Puig. The tournament has become one of the final opportunities to see them compete on grass before the Championships begin, with many players using the week as part of their Wimbledon preparations.
The official welcome party made the most of one of London’s warmest evenings of the summer, with guests gathering on the Pavilion terrace for drinks and conversation before play got underway the following morning. Glasses of Whispering Angel rosé were served throughout the evening alongside cocktails from The Macallan, Warner’s gin and tonics, Estrella beers, and Fever-Tree soft drinks.
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Elite Traveler editor-in-chief Paul Croughton welcomed guests to the evening, reflecting on the publication’s continued partnership with the tournament. As the sun set over Knightsbridge, the terrace remained busy with music, conversation, and familiar faces from across the worlds of travel, sport, and luxury.
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The evening also showcased the brands behind this year’s tournament, sponsored by Somabay with hospitality provided by Whispering Angel, The Macallan, Warner’s, Estrella, and Fever-Tree, and the Pavilion Club.
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