Professional Tennis Returning to New Haven

By Bob Phillips

NEW HAVEN—It's been less than a year since the state lost the Connecticut (Tennis) Open, and now professional tennis will return to the Elm City this year. The Oracle Challenger Series announced today that the first event of the 2019-2020 Series will be held in New Haven at the Yale Tennis Center from Sept. 2-8. The tournament will include the Oracle Champions Cup, a one-night men’s legends Invesco Series QQQ event headlined by Connecticut native James Blake. The tournament will be held concurrently with the final week of the United States Open which will be played Aug. 26-Sept. 8 in New York.

The Connecticut Open, which had been known as the Volvo and the Pilot Pen in previous incarnations, was sold earlier this year after a title sponsor could not be found. Early on it had been both a WTP and ATP event, but in its later years in New Haven had thrived as a women's tournament, with a Legends event featuring male stars in singles play along with mixed doubles, folded into the event. It served as the last tournament on the summer circuit, a tune-up for the U.S. Open. But, unable to land a title sponsor, the tournament was sold and will be played this year in Zhengzhou City, China, from Sept. 9-15.
 
Now in its third year, the Oracle Challenger Series aims to help up-and-coming American players secure both ranking points and prize money at home in the United States. The two American men and two American women who accumulate the most points over the course of the Series receive wild cards into their respective singles main draws at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, CA. As part of the Series’ mission to grow the sport of tennis and make professional events more accessible, each tournament is free and open to the public. 

The 2018-2019 Oracle Challenger Series made stops in Chicago, Houston, Newport Beach and Indian Wells, with Reilly Opelka, Donald Young, Lauren Davis and Jessica Pegula earning the coveted wild card spots into the 2019 BNP Paribas Open. The Series also served as a launching pad for 18-year-old Canadian sensation Bianca Andreescu, who captured the title at Newport Beach in January before becoming the first-ever female wild card to win the BNP Paribas Open, while American Taylor Fritz successfully defended his own title in Newport Beach.

An aerial view of the Yale Tennis Center.

This year, the New Haven tournament will launch the 2019-2020 Series and be instrumental in determining which players make the most of the opportunity to receive wild cards into the largest ATP Tour and WTA combined two-week event in the world. Additional stops on the 2019-2020 Road to Indian Wells will be announced in the coming months.

“We are thrilled to bring the Oracle Challenger Series to New Haven this fall,” said Philippe Dore, Marketing Director, Oracle Challenger Series. “With such a rich tennis history, there is no better place for us to kick off the 2019-2020 Road to Indian Wells, and we look forward to ushering in a new era of men’s and women’s professional tennis in New Haven this September.”

Legends Return, Too

Additionally, the Series’ inaugural 2019-2020 tournament will feature the Oracle Champions Cup, an Invesco Series QQQ event, on Sat., Sept. 7. The one-night tournament is part of the competitive circuit featuring legendary tennis icons and world-renowned champions, and will be headlined by Fairfield native and former World No. 4 James Blake; 2003 U.S. Open Champion and former World No. 1 Andy Roddick; former World No. 2 Tommy Haas; and two-time Davis Cup titlist and former World No. 8 Mark Philippoussis. The event will consist of two one-set semifinals, with the winners meeting in a one-set championship match.

Fairfield native James Blake (r), shown congratulating John McEnroe
after a Legends match at the Connecticut Open, will be back to play in
New Haven on Sept. 7.

“This day is extremely rewarding for the Tennis Foundation of Connecticut and for me personally as it ensures that the rich history of professional tennis in New Haven continues,” said Anne Worcester, Tournament Ambassador and former Connecticut Open Tournament Director. “The Oracle Challenger Series is a terrific showcase for both men’s and women’s tennis, and I believe our longtime and dedicated fans will love coming to this free and accessible event.”

“We are so excited at the prospect of welcoming players, coaches, organizers and spectators from all over the world to our beautiful city in September,” added Toni Harp, Mayor of New Haven and Tennis Foundation of Connecticut Board Member. “With our award-winning restaurants, world-class cultural institutions and varied shopping venues, visitors will have a wealth of things to do within our walkable city. This is a great opportunity for local businesses too. We look forward to continuing the strong tradition of professional tennis in the New Haven region.”

For more than three decades, New Haven has hosted both men’s and women’s professional tennis events. For 21 years, New Haven hosted the annual Connecticut Open – consistently welcoming some of the biggest names in women’s professional tennis – before the WTA sanction was sold earlier this year, and now the Oracle Challenger Series will ensure that professional tennis is played in New Haven once again.

“For nearly three decades, Yale’s students, faculty, staff, and neighbors have celebrated the end of summer at the Connecticut Tennis Center, watching some of the best tennis in the world,” said Peter Salovey, President, Yale University. “Over the years, we have seen many future stars of the sport rise to prominence in New Haven. "I am delighted that, thanks to the Oracle Challenger Series, this tradition will continue in 2019.”

Tickets to the Oracle Champions Cup will be available to a select audience in a pre-sale beginning Monday, June 24, and will go on-sale to the general public on Wednesday, June 27 at 10:00 a.m. local time. Special VIP packages will also be available, including a pro-am, backstage meet-and-greet, exclusive player party, and more.

About the Oracle Challenger Series

For more information about the Oracle Challenger Series, visit oraclechallengerseries.com. If you are interested in becoming a ball-kid or volunteer for the event, please email oraclechallengerseries@desertchampions.com. For more information about the Oracle Champions Cup and to purchase tickets and VIP special packages, visit https://www.invescoseries.com.

The Oracle Challenger Series was established to help up-and-coming American tennis players secure both ranking points and prize money. The Oracle Challenger Series is the next chapter in Oracle’s ongoing commitment to support U.S. tennis for men and women at both the collegiate and professional level. The Series features equal prize money in a groundbreaking tournament format that combines the ATP Challenger Tour and WTA 125K Series.

The Series offers an unmatched potential prize of wild cards into the main draw of the BNP Paribas Open, widely considered the top combined ATP Tour and WTA professional tennis tournament in the world, for the top two American male and female finishers.

—with staff reports

@OracleChallngrs