The first player in the 2027 Delray Beach Open is the one with the most to play for. Taylor Fritz, who won the tournament in 2023 and again in 2024, has committed to return for the 35th edition, February 12 to 21 at the Delray Beach Stadium and Tennis Center. If he wins, he becomes the first three-time singles champion in the event's history.

Why this one matters

Delray Beach has crowned a lot of first-time winners and very few repeat ones. Before Fritz, the only man to defend the title was Australian Jason Stoltenberg, who won back to back in 1996 and 1997. Fritz matched that, and his 2024 run came without dropping a set, something only seven champions in the tournament's history have managed.

February will be his ninth trip to Delray. For a player who has spent most of his career near the top of American tennis, that loyalty to a 250-level event is unusual, and it says something about how the week feels from the inside. In the tournament's announcement, Fritz described Delray as a special week on his calendar and said he was looking forward to being part of the anniversary edition.

The player who is coming

Fritz arrives as one of the best players in the world. The tournament's release puts him at No. 12 in the rankings this season, at 28, with four finals in 2026 in Dallas, Stuttgart, Halle and Washington. He won the Washington final in August, an ATP 500 title and the 11th of his career, and he reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Delray fans will also remember that he played in the 2024 US Open final.

He is the only name in the 2027 field so far. The tournament says more player announcements are coming over the next few months, and in a year that has produced a run of strong young Americans, the rest of the draw could fill up quickly.

The defending champion is a local favorite too

The 2026 title went to Sebastian Korda, who beat Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3 in an all-American final, the fifth in the event's history. Korda was the 11th unseeded champion Delray has produced, which is part of the tournament's charm: it is a week when a player outside the top seeds can catch fire on a court a few blocks from Atlantic Avenue.

Legends open the week

The 35th anniversary starts with a Legends Event February 12 to 14. Andy Roddick headlines, joined by Bob and Mike Bryan, Tommy Haas, Jan-Michael Gambill, Luke and Murphy Jensen, Ryan Harrison and Jesse Levine. There are night sessions at 8 p.m. on February 12 and 13, and Roddick will be inducted into the tournament's Walk of Fame on opening night.

Qualifying runs February 13 and 14, and the main draw is February 15 to 21, so the full ten days runs from the Legends nights through championship Sunday.

The food side of the week

The tournament's Food and Wine Series, now in its eighth year, has grown into its own reason to buy a ticket. The 2027 lineup includes a Grand Tasting on February 16, Ladies Day luncheons on February 17 and 18, Burgers, Bourbon and Brew on the 17th, Tacos, Tequila and Tennis on the 18th, Game, Set, Pour on the 19th, Serve and Savor on the 20th and a championship brunch on the final three days.

How to go

Series packages and single-session tickets are already on sale at DelrayBeachOpen.com and by phone at 561-330-6000. The tournament offers discounts for seniors, kids, groups of 15 or more and a three-session flex pack. Tickets are non-refundable, so pick sessions with the schedule in mind.

The practical advice for locals is simple. If watching Fritz go for history is the plan, a series package covers every session from the first round to the final. If not, a weeknight session early in the main draw is the cheapest way to see him up close, on a court small enough that the back row still feels near the baseline. Then walk to dinner on Atlantic Avenue, which is half the reason this tournament works.