West Side Tennis Club To Host New Tournament

Written by: Staff on 26th March 2013

West Side Tennis Club To Host New Tournament

epa02818218 The shadow of Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania in action against Roberta Vinci of Italy is seen on the clay during the final match in the singles competition of the Poli-Farbe Budapest Grand Prix WTA tennis tournament, 10 July 2011, in Budapest, Hungary. EPA/TIBOR ILLYES HUNGARY OUT |

To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the West Side Tennis Club in Queens, New York, will host a new tournament, the New York Open, July 4-7. The former site of the US Open is now planning an expansion, with a fitness facility, squash courts and covered tennis courts planned.

“This will be the biggest tournament in the city besides the US Open,” said West Side Tennis Club’s Bob Ingersole.

The New York Open will include singles, doubles and mixed doubles, but players must apply and then be selected. The tournament does expect pros to compete

“We are starting it this year but we think it might grow into a huge annual event,” Ingersole said.

The Open is being organized by Tennis In New York, a non-profit whose mission is to promote tennis and preserve its history in New York. “This is why we felt that coordinating this event in Forest Hills would be so appropriate,” said Tennis In New York President and CEO Dale Caldwell.

The club has a 15,000-seat stadium – which over the past few years has been threatened with a teardown—but it still playable.

The stadium not only once hosted the US Open but many big name concerts like The Beatles, Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones were also held.

For about 15 years, the stadium did not host events and fell into disrepair. In 2010, a plan to sell the stadium to Cord Meyer Development to demolish it to make way for condos was voted down by club members.

There will also be events going on at the same time as the New York Open including a tennis carnival for kids.

The club has about 800 members and also hosts the National Women’s Grass Court Championships and the National Men’s 40, 55 & 60 Grass Court Championships.

Prize money for the New York Open is yet to be determined.

©Daily tennis news wire

Topics: Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, US Open, US tennis news, West Side Tennis Club