Newly Renovated Player Center Opens; First Major Upgrade to Connecticut Tennis Center in 25 Years

Written by: Staff on 17th August 2016

Newly Renovated Player Center Opens; First Major Upgrade to Connecticut Tennis Center in 25 Years |

Tournament officials from the Connecticut Open presented by United Technologies Corp. joined local and state dignitaries and WTA player Daniela Hantuchova to celebrate the grand opening of the new Player Center at the Connecticut Tennis Center this morning. This is the first major upgrade to the stadium infrastructure in the 25-year history of the Tennis Center, marking the first of several planned upgrades.

Connecticut Open Tournament Director Anne Worcester welcomed guests and conducted group tours of the new Player Center. “We now have fantastic accommodations for the world-class players traveling to New Haven,” said Worcester. “In addition, the Player Center will also provide a much better experience for the coaches and tournament officials and drive operational cost savings annually.”

Upgrades to the Player Center include a permanent player gym, training and massage space with an ice bath, new player and coach’s locker rooms and restrooms, as well as a newly furnished player lounge and dining area.

“The Connecticut Open and the City of New Haven have a rich history and partnership,” said New Haven Mayor Toni Harp. “We are proud to host the tournament that features players from all over the world and offers the residents of Connecticut a fun and exciting event.”

Michael Freimuth, executive director of Capital Region Development Authority added that the facility can now be used for other events. “By modernizing the Player Center, it can now be used for corporate events, meetings, and other special events. One of the goals of the upgrade is to generate revenue by renting it out as a multipurpose venue. The new facility will also help reduce expenses by not having to rent extra trailers for players, coaches and more.”

“We are excited to announce that there will also be additional upgrades in the future, including a new media center, staff tournament offices and more,” added Freimuth. “This is an investment into the long term commitment to the sport of tennis.”

Hantuchova is returning to New Haven for the 12^th time, and has received a wild card into the qualifying draw. She has won seven WTA singles and nine WTA doubles titles in her career. In addition, she has four Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. Her best result in Connecticut came in 2002 when she reached the semifinals in singles and won the doubles title with Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario.

“I have always loved playing at the Connecticut Open,” said Hantuchova. “These new upgrades showcase how Anne and her team have always been committed to making us feel special in New Haven. I know that all the players will appreciate the commitment to improving an already terrific tournament.”

For tickets and more information about the 2016 Connecticut Open, including daily tickets and packages and volunteer information please visit ctopen.org/open or call 877-842-3003. The Connecticut Open presented by United Technologies will take place August 19 – August 27 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale in New Haven.

About Connecticut Open presented by United Technologies

Connecticut Open presented by United Technologies is owned by the State of Connecticut and is a not-for-profit 501c3 charitable organization. The event has always existed to give back to the community, and has always been much more than just a tennis tournament; it is a leading example of leveraging a large-scale international sporting event to generate millions of dollars in regional economic impact and build community pride, spirit and engagement, especially among youth. The women’s-only WTA event will be held August 19-27, 2016 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, and features five different competitions including WTA qualifying, WTA singles, WTA doubles, Men’s Legends, and the US Open National Playoffs Championship. The Connecticut Open is prominently featured domestically on ESPN2 and is also broadcast in 160 countries around the world. For more information about the tournament and tickets, visit www.ctopen.org or call 1-855-464-8366.

About United Technologies

United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. To learn more about UTC, visit our website http://www.utc.com/ or follow us on Twitter: @UTC https://twitter.com/UTC.

About the Emirates Airline US Open Series

The world’s best players on the WTA and ATP World Tour are coming together for theEmirates Airline US Open Series, now in its 13th season. Linking seven summer WTA and ATP World Tour tournaments to the US Open, the Emirates Airline US Open Series serves as a true regular season of hard court tennis. In 2014, Serena Williams won the US Open andEmirates Airline US Open Series women’s title for the second consecutive year, earning a record tennis paycheck of $4 million. Rafael Nadal (2013), Roger Federer (2007) and Kim Clijsters (2005) also accomplished the feat of winning the Emirates Airline US Open Series and US Open singles title within the same year.

Topics: Connecticut Open, Connecticut Open Tournament Director Anne Worcester, Connecticut Tennis Center, Daniela Hantuchova, New Haven tennis news, Tennis, Us Open Series