CONCORD, MA - Professional Women’s Tennis returned to the Greater Boston area for the first time in eight years. The Thoreau Tennis Open, hosted at the Thoreau Club in Concord, MA, brought  players from around the world to compete for a $60,000 purse. The last time a professional women’s tournament was in Boston was in 2011 at the Sportsmen’s Tennis Club Challenger in Dorchester, MA.

 

The 32-person draw was free to the public until the semi-finals and finals which cost between $5 and $20. The semis and finals aired live on the Tennis Channel. Players traveled from all over the world to compete, and yet it was the Americans who came out on top in both singles and doubles.

 

The singles winner, Caroline Dolehide beat out fellow American, Ann Li for the title of Champion 6-3, 7-5. Double winners Angela Kulikov and Rianna Valdes won a grueling match over fellow Americans Elizabeth Halbauer and Ingrid Neel 7-6(3), 4-6, 17-15. ADVERTISEMENT The winning pair were wildcards in the tournament.

Along with the world-class competition, two young tennis players from Massachusetts competed as wildcards in the tournament. Brittany Collens, who plays on the Futures Tour and 16-year-old Nastasya Semenovski, who trains at the Tim Mayotte Tennis Academy. The two played doubles together but lost in the first round to a team from China. The two also played singles but lost in the first round.

 

The tournament included more than just the weeklong women’s event. Leading up to the tournament in June through August, Thoreau hosted an L7 Junior Masters Series. The six-event series included boys and girls in 12s, 14s and 16s division. The top eight finishers from each division were invited to a round robin tournament during the week of the professional event.

 

Tournament organizers also held a fundraising event at Longwood Cricket Club on Thursday, August 15. The event included a Pro-Am with New England tennis legend, Tim Mayotte, alongside top international players. All proceeds from the event went to Sportsmen’s Tennis and Enrichment Center in Dorchester, MA.

 

On the Sunday before the tournament, organizers put on a Kids Fest with free tennis games, pictures and autographs with players, face painting and ice cream. More than 100 children attended the event at the Thoreau Club.

 

Organizers hope to host the event next year. For more information and complete results, click here.