Pune, Dec 24 (IANS): After a gap of a year, fans will return to the Tata Open Maharashtra as action will unfold in front of spectators in the stands during the fifth edition of South Asia's only ATP 250 tournament.

Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the tournament was held behind closed doors last year but fans can now join the grand celebration of the fifth edition of the tournament, scheduled to be held from December 31 to January 7 at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune.

The tickets will be available on Zoonga.com from December 26, the organisers informed in a release on Saturday.

"We are delighted to welcome the fans back to the stadium. We had allowed some restricted public entry for the last few days of the competition last year by taking necessary safety precautions but this year the stadium is fully open for the fans. This is a celebration year and I hope fans will come in numbers to cheer for their favourite stars and will make this edition even more special," said Prashant Sutar, Tournament Director of Tata Open Maharashtra and Chairman of Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association.

"Fans are a crucial part of any sport. No event is complete without the support of the fans. Next sporting heroes are built in the stands as the live action motivates many youngsters. Tata Open Maharashtra is the top tennis event in India and this year many big players will enthral the fans with their skills. It's a great opportunity for young players to watch star players live and learn from close quarters," said Sunder Iyer, Joint Secretary of the All India Tennis Association and Secretary of Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association.

The tickets will be available for Blocks A, B, C, D, E, F, and G - with the lowest price for preliminary rounds being INR 150 and the highest being INR 750. On the other hand, the lowest ticket price will be INR 250 for the semi-finals and INR 500 for the finals while the highest set at INR 1500 (semifinals) and INR 1750 for the final.

Entry will be free for the qualifying rounds.

The 2014 U.S. Open champion and World No. 17 Marin Cilic will lead the highly-competitive singles field whereas the three-time Grand Slam champions Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury will be the key attraction in the doubles.

The Tata Open Maharashtra will be conducted by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association in association with the Government of India.

The qualifiers will begin on December 31 while the main draw will be played from January 2-7.