WESTBOROUGH, MA- Professional tennis in New England has a new look this summer. With the departure of the Connecticut Open after 21 years and the Stowe Mountain Lodge Classic’s two-year run coming to a close, the door swung open for the emergence of two new events to the section. Accompanying the ever-popular Hall of Fame Open in Newport, RI, this year are the brand new Thoreau Tennis Open, a USTA Pro Circuit event, and the Oracle Challenger Series making its debut in New Haven, CT.

 

“We are looking forward to another exciting summer of pro tennis in New England. These three events will give fans the opportunity to see some of the most exciting stars as well as top up-and-comers right in their backyard, and we’re happy to be supporting all three,” said USTA New England Executive Director and COO, Matt Olson.

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Thoreau Tennis Open

 

Leading up to its inaugural WTA tournament in August, the Thoreau Tennis Open is already making a splash in the community. Beginning in June and spanning up to the women’s event, Thoreau is hosting an L7 Junior Masters Series to give young girls the opportunity to play alongside the pros. Top finishers will then be invited to a round robin tournament during the week of the pro event.

 

“A huge part of creating great players is exposing them to the world's best in person. By setting up the Junior Masters Series alongside the Open, we hope to inspire young players from across New England with a chance to play right next to today's stars. And by offering a scholarship to winners, we are inviting some players to experience first-hand the exciting way that we develop players at our Academy,” said Tim Mayotte, former ATP player and owner of the Tim Mayotte Academy.

 

The Thoreau Tennis Open will be hosted by the Thoreau Club and Tim Mayotte Tennis Academy in Concord, MA from August 12-17 and expects to have representation from more than 30 countries.

 

The singles draw will boast a field of 32, which will include four qualification winners and four wild card bids. The doubles draw will feature 16 pairings.

 

"New England is hungry for more professional tennis. Boston, being a sports town, hasn't seen a tournament of this level in many years. It's time to change that and become a hub for attracting and developing great players. Already we've seen an amazing level of support from USTANE, along with the business community and tennis enthusiasts who want to be a part of the energy around the tournament,” said Tournament Director, Massimo Policastro.  

 

The Thoreau Tennis Open will also be putting on a fundraising event for Sportsmen’s Tennis and Enrichment Center on August 15 at Longwood Cricket Club. Included at the fundraiser will be a Pro-am featuring Mayotte and some of the women in the tournament, as well as a gala and dinner.

 

The semifinals and finals of the Thoreau Tennis Open will be broadcast live on the Tennis Channel. Early rounds will be free to attend, while tickets are on sale for the semifinals and finals.

 

Oracle Challenger Series- New Haven

 

In its third year, the Oracle Challenger Series aims to help up-and-coming American players secure both ranking points and prize money in the United States. For the first time ever, the series will kick off at the Yale University Tennis Center in New Haven from September 2-8.

 

“I could not be more thrilled that the Oracle Challenger Series will ensure that the rich history of professional tennis in New Haven continues,” said Anne Worcester, Tournament Ambassador, President, Universal Tennis and former CT Open Tournament Director. “This free, accessible event will be a terrific showcase for both men’s and women’s tennis during one of the most exciting times on the tennis calendar, and I believe our longtime and dedicated fans will embrace this event as they did the Connecticut Open for many years.”

 

The top two American men and women who accumulate the most points over the course of the Series will receive wild cards into their respective singles main draws at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, CA. Additional stops in the series after New Haven have yet to be announced.  

Coinciding with the ATP and WTA tournament will be the Oracle Champions Cup, a one-night men’s legends Invesco Series QQQ event headlined by James Blake, Andy Roddick, Tommy Haas and Mark Philippoussis.

 

“We couldn’t be more excited to kick off the 2019-2020 road to Indian Wells in New Haven. With incredible facilities and a local community that is rich in both passion and knowledge of the game of tennis, we’re looking forward to welcoming fans, media and some of the world’s best men’s and women’s players for a great week at the Yale Tennis Centre this fall,” said Philippe Dore, Marketing Director, Oracle Challenger Series.

 

The New Haven event, as well as the rest of the Oracle Challenger Series, will be run by Desert Champions, the team that operates the BNP Paribas Open. Tom Fey will serve as the Tournament Director in New Haven.

 

This tournament will be free and open to the public.

 

Hall of Fame Open

 

For more than 40 years, the Hall of Fame Open in Newport, RI has been a staple in the New England summer tennis calendar. The ATP tournament held annually at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has featured both World No. 1s and Grand Slam Champions, and will be headlined in 2019 by three-time Hall of Fame Open winner 2018 Wimbledon semifinalist, John Isner. 

 

The tournament will run from Sunday to Sunday, July 14-21.

 

Throughout the week, the Hall of Fame will host a number of special events both on-court and off. The first Sunday is Family Day and will feature kids entertainment, face painting, museum scavenger hunts and kids tennis clinics. Tuesday is USTA Member Day, where members can check in to the Net Generation booth for a free lunch from 12-2 pm and a free gift all day. Also on Tuesday, the 2018 USTA New England No. 1 ranked adult tournament players will be honored in a ceremony on Center Court between the second and third matches.

 

Thursday is the annual fashion show and brunch, and Friday is jam-packed with the Wheelchair Tennis Clinic, USTANE’s Section Women In Tennis Together (WITT) event and a women’s exhibition featuring American WTA players, Danielle Collins, Amanda Anisimova. Legendary players, GiGi Fernandez and Rhode Island’s own, Jill Craybas, will also play a match.

 

On Saturday evening following semifinal singles play, two-time Grand Slam winners, Li Na, Mary Pierce and Yevgeny Kafelnikov, will be enshrined as the Hall of Fame Class of 2019 in the annual Induction ceremony. The singles finals, as well as the Invesco Legends Newport event, will be played on Sunday.

 

For more information on the Hall of Fame Open and to buy tickets, visit the tournament website.

 

For more information and for tickets to the Thoreau Tennis Open, visit their website.

 

For more information on the Oracle Challenger Series- New Haven, visit their website.