Top-Tier Tennis Returns to the Metroplex After 22 Year Absence

In 1989, Martina Navratilova beat Monica Seles 7-6, 6-3 to win what would be the final Virginia Slims women’s professional tennis event in Dallas.  After that year, the tournament was sold to an advertising group in Japan and women’s professional tennis quietly disappeared from the Dallas landscape. Since that time there have been lower tier events and exhibitions in and around Dallas, but never the professional tour events Dallas residents became so accustomed to back on the 70s and 80s.

Until now.  After a twenty-two year absence, women’s professional tennis is back in the Metroplex with the Texas Tennis Open. The inaugural event, which is part of the WTA, is considered an ‘International Level’ tournament with prize money of $220,000, and features a singles draw of 32 players and a doubles draw of 16 teams.  The tournament, which will play host to an international field of players, will take place August 20 through August 27, 2011 at the Hilton DFW Lakes Hotel in Grapevine, Texas.

And, much like the old days of professional tennis in Dallas and the top level of players that came here to play, the 2011 Texas Tennis Open will feature many of today’s top WTA professional tennis stars. Included in the field are 11 players ranked in the top 50 and six 2011 Wimbledon seeded players, along with 2011 Wimbledon semifinalist, Sabine Lisicki.  Also included in the field is the current top-ranked American Bethanie Mattek-Sands, and 2009 U.S. Open Quarterfinalist Melanie Oudin.

“We are extremely pleased with the players that have committed to the Texas Tennis Open,” said Chris Giordano, Texas Tennis Open Tournament Director.  “We feel very lucky to have all of our players in the top 75 in the world, and 11 of the players ranked among the top 50,” he added.

Tennis and sports fans alike will be pleased with the level of professional tennis coming back to the Dallas area with the Texas Tennis Open. And while it’s been too long since we’ve seen this level of tennis in the Metroplex – in true Texas style – we are jumping back in bigger than ever.

Texas Tennis Open tickets and ticket packages are currently being sold through Ticket Master, or through the Texas Tennis Open Ticket Office at www.texastennisopen.com/tickets (ScoreBoard readers get a 10% discount by entering promo code TexasTennis) or by calling (817) 313-3428.

2011 Texas Tennis Open Player List

NAME – COUNTRY – RANKING
Goerges, Julia   -  GER – 16
Peng, Shuai  -  CHN – 17
Wickmayer, Yanina  -  BEL – 19
Cibulkova, Dominika  -  SVK – 20
Kanepi, Kaia  -  EST – 26
Lisicki, Sabine K  -  GER – 27
Gajdosova, Jarmila  -  AUS – 29
Mattek-Sands, Bethanie  -  USA – 30
Larsson, Johanna J  -  SWE – 46
Dokic, Jelena  -  AUS – 48
Date-Krumm, Kimiko  -  JPN – 50
Dulko, Gisela  -  ARG – 51
Zahlavova Strycova, Barbora  -  CZE  – 53
Jovanovski, Bojana  – SRB – 56
Sevastova, Anastasija – LAT – 57
Baltacha, Elena  – GBR – 58
Halep, Simona – ROU – 59
Begu, Irina-Camelia  – ROU – 60
Arvidsson, Sofia – SWE – 61
Mirza, Sania – IND – 63
Parmentier, Pauline B – FRA – 66
Brianti, Alberta – ITA – 69
Rybarikova, Magdalena – SVK – 71
Arn, Greta – HUN – 73